


Rose 'N Bud

by Luke2leia



Category: Guns N' Roses
Genre: F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:00:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 75,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22094473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luke2leia/pseuds/Luke2leia
Summary: 2019 Guns N Roses Tour. Has Axl finally found the one?
Relationships: Axl Rose/OC
Comments: 73
Kudos: 49





	1. Seeds are sown

Seeds are sown

  
...................................  
2017/2019 Axl, Slash, Duff and GNR gang/OC  
………………………  
Warnings: mild nonconsensual drug use, slow burn, eventual smut M/F, possible eventual multi-pairings  
....................................  
Singing as he moved back and forth, Axl scanned the barrier looking for someone to bring up for an easy song. During the set, he’d noticed a woman a bit older than the kids that screamed and writhed to their music. She sang along and he could tell she was going word for word with him whenever he glanced at her.  
There was something almost pensive about her. No doubt she was enjoying herself, but there was an air of melancholy to her that he found intriguing.

  
Deciding to bring her up, he sent security to collect her, watching as she startled when they reached her, smirking at the hot looks of the kids around her. He couldn’t help but grin wide when she finally cottoned that she was in for a treat, not a threat.  
Slash wandered near, strumming effortlessly through a solo as he leaned in close.

  
“Going soft, old man? She’s almost our age.”  
Axl gave a shrug. “Call it a good deed.”

  
Slash grinned wide, mouthing ‘soft’ as he shook his head and made his way back around the stage. Staff held the lady just backstage, waiting for the current song to end, and Axl to start his intro.

  
He waved her over as he talked, and with encouragement from security, she stepped forward, timid but smiling, blinking at the bright lights. She went a little wide-eyed as she stood at the front of the stage with him, and he leaned in to whisper to her.  
“Just pretend it’s the ocean, the noise just the roar of the waves.”

  
She stilled for a moment, taking a deep breath and nodding.  
“Now, look at me.”

  
When she turned, he made a funny face, and she laughed easily, body relaxing. He nodded to Slash, and the curly-haired man launched into the intro to ‘Sweet Child ‘o Mine’, the crowd roaring its approval.

  
Tears started to track down her cheeks as he sang, and he moved in, laying a light arm across her shoulders and giving a gentle squeeze, wondering what it means to her. He could just make out her singing along with him, though it was difficult over the crowd and speakers and sound feeds in his ear.

  
Taking a chance, he brought the mike close, surprised to hear a voice nearly as deep as his own singing smoothly despite her emotions. The crowd seems to love it, and he leaned closer to ensure the mike picked them both up. Trusting she’d keep to the classic melody on the lower register, he played with harmony, voice soaring above hers.

  
Axl caught Slash glancing over, nodding at him as the pair sing. With a motion, the guitarist took the lead singer’s cue and slowed down the tempo, Duff and the rest picking it up and falling in line.

  
The song turned from the classic sweet reminiscence to something soft and bittersweet, and he can feel the crowd catching the change in mood, quieting down as the song reaches Slash’s solo. Wrapping up, the final lines are less smirky and sly, more a question to the heavens, an aching cry that has no answer.

  
As the pair stopped singing, the audience went wild, the sound washing back over the stage. Axl stepped forward, gently taking her hand and holding it up, pulling her into a bow with him. She had a watery smile, wiping at wet cheeks with her free hand, and she dipped her head and smiled at him in clear thanks.  
Security came back up to guide her off stage, and he pulled one aside, whispering to invite her to stay with them in the back, and attend the afterparty. The man nodded, smiling, and Axl got the sense they liked her just as well as the crowd did.  
………………………  
As the encores end, the group walked offstage together, sweaty and pleasantly tired as they came down from the high of a good show. Axl saw the woman standing off to the side with the security guys, smiling as she chatted with them.  
He changed course, making a beeline for her, the rest following at a more leisurely pace. He reached out to take her hand gently in both of his, grin on his face. Away from the madness of the show, he noticed her eyes were a bit red, tear tracks still glistening on her cheeks.

  
“That was quite impressive, ah, Rose, was it?” His eyes twinkled. “That really your name?”

  
She made a sour face at him and huffed a sigh. “It’s actually Rosemond.”

  
His eyebrows lifted. “That’s…unusual.”

  
“I swear! Ask security, they saw my ID. Mom named me after her grandma. You can understand why I prefer Rose.”

  
Axl chuckled. “Yeah, I get it, even if it’s almost too much a coincidence.”

  
She smiled back, through it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “The universe does work in strange ways.”

  
“You seemed to enjoy the show…ready to party with your favorite band?”

  
She tilted her head, eyes blinking, curious look on her face. “What makes you think you’re my favorite?”

  
Axl’s mouth fell open, a dry chuckle coming from somewhere off to the side. He stared at her, and Rose’s lips start to twitch, skin crinkling around her eyes as a smile broke free, and then a giggle that turned into a laugh she hid behind a hand.

  
He snorted. “Pretty cheeky there.”

  
Her eyes flashed amusement. “You can handle a little cheek, you’ve got enough fawning sycophants. It was a fantastic show though.”

  
“Big words from such a small package. Surprisingly big voice, too. You sing professionally?”

  
Her eyes went big, and she blushed, shaking her head.  
“Only if you count my kids as audience. Thank you for the compliment, though. That’s very kind.”

  
Now Axl laughed. “That’s something people don’t accuse me of very often.”  
“There goes your reputation.” Slash interjected.  
“Fuck you.”  
“And…it’s back.” Duff chuckled, the rest joining in. The tall blonde reached out in greeting, grinning as his own large hand engulfed hers.  
“Hello there! All right if we call you Rosie? We call this asshole…”

  
“That’s ‘Axl’.”

  
Duff continued unperturbed “…everything but the son of god. Don’t want to get your head spinning every time we holler at him.”

  
The woman laughed, nodding her head. “That’s fine. I can see where it might make for a confusing evening.”

  
“Wouldn’t want that. You’re much too nice a person to get mixed up with Red. I’d be happy to escort you to the party.”  
Duff grinned brightly, though the saucy tilt of sharp eyebrows set to question the sense of trustworthiness he implied.  
Rosie tilted her head away, cautious smile blossoming.

  
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m sure Mr. Rose will be a perfect gentleman.”

  
Slash made a choked sound, Duff’s eyes going wide with amusement. Dizzy and Frank cackled behind them. Mel shook her head, long blue hair swishing emphatically as she pushed her way past the others.

  
“Don’t let these guys scare you. Axl’s a good man, he’ll make sure you have a great night with us.”  
“Thanks, Mel. Nice to know somebody’s in my corner.”  
The keyboardist turned a brilliant smile towards Axl. She side-eyed Rosie and winked.  
“And if he acts up, just slug him. It’s always worked for me.” Everyone laughed.

  
Axl spluttered. “Traitorous fuckers! And for you, dear lady, please call me Axl.”

  
Turning, he offered the crook of his arm, smiling as she wrapped her hands around it.  
“Ignore these idiots. I assure you; you couldn’t be safer with anybody else.”

  
“I believe you.” He patted her hands with his free one before giving the group the finger as he led her away from backstage to the dressing rooms.  
“Now, I’m going to leave you here for a moment, I’ve got to change shirts, freshen up a bit. But I’ll be right back out and we’ll be on our way.”

  
He left the door open, continuing to talk as he moved around the room.  
“So…you sing for your kids, hmm? Just our songs?”  
Axl’s voice sounded muffled, and there was the sound of water running for a few minutes.

  
“Not hardly. ‘Wish you were here’, ‘Time Table’. Stuff like that.”

  
“Nice selection. Not what first comes to mind as songs for kids.”

  
“Well, anything can be a lullaby if you sing it low and slow enough.”

  
“Heh. Fair enough. You did a pretty good job with ‘Sweet Child’. I might have to play it that way more often.”

  
His voice got clearer, and he poked his head out the door, grinning as he saw her leaning on the wall off to the side. He’d taken off the hat he’d had on stage, and had changed from the black shirt to a red one. His hair was a wild shock of half-dried curls spiraling madly off his scalp, glinting in the bright lights of the hallway.

  
Rosie snickered as she saw him, and he came out of the room, standing in front of her with his arms crossed, eyes glinting.  
“Something amusing?”

  
She smiled, and reached up to pat a stray curl down, freezing as she seemed to realize the overly familiar way she was acting. Axl grinned down at her.

  
“Don’t stop now. I’m a hot mess at the best of times.”

  
“Axl, stop pestering that nice lady. It’s a thankless task trying to make you look good.”

  
“Fuck you, Slash. I always look good.”

  
The guitarist came sauntering up, wide smile splitting full lips, eyes hidden behind mirrored shades.

  
“You’d like to think you do.” He turned to face Rosie. “Think you might have missed a spot…or two.”

  
She giggled, reaching up again to run fingers through soft red hair, Axl tilting his head obligingly. It was only a moment till she seemed satisfied, pulling her hand back reluctantly. It surprised Axl to realize how much he’d enjoyed her touch.

  
Slash snorted in amusement at Axl’s gentle smile.

  
“Not bad, old man. You almost look respectable. Here, lemme fix it.”

  
He reached out only to have Axl bat his hand away, laughing. “Don’t try it, fucker. My personal stylist here used her magic fingers to perfect my image.”

  
“Magic fingers, hmm? Maybe I should borrow her talents.” Slash turned towards Rosie, thick eyebrows waggling suggestively over the tops of his shades.

  
She blushed bright red, raising a hand to hide behind as her shoulders shook in merriment. Duff chose that moment to saunter up, chiseled smirk firmly in place.

  
“Hassling the poor girl already? Thought you ‘gentlemen’ would at least wait till the party.”

  
“What hassle? She tamed Axl’s rat’s nest, thought she could do something with mine.”

  
“If she could make this asshole’s shaggy mop look good, she’d really have to have magic fingers.”

  
Duff’s dark eyebrows shot up, smirk intensifying as he turned towards Rosie, leaning against the wall and practically looming over her. “What’s this about magic fingers? What’d I miss?”

  
She waved at Slash, eyes twinkling.  
“Nothing much, just this beast being absolutely terrible.”

  
“’Beast’, hmm? Better watch out, little girl, this beast bites.”

  
Rosie straightened up, turning to face Slash with a steady gaze that pinned him behind his shades.  
“So do I.”

  
Slash felt steel hidden under that deliciously husky voice, repressing a shiver that threatened to break his cool façade. He tilted his head and pulled his shades down, gazing at her with sparkling russet eyes.  
“Wanna show me?”

  
She raised an eyebrow, glint in her eye and smirk on her lips.  
“If that is a petition for my interest, you’ll have to do better. Cheap I may be, but not easy.”

  
The other men chuckled as Slash grinned, white teeth flashing against dark skin and hair. “I like a challenge.”

  
Rosie tilted her head, giving him a firm yet gentle glance.  
“I’m not a challenge, I’m a person. If you’re looking for a quick roll, I suggest you keep looking.”

  
Slash raised his hands in defeat, smiling playfully, though he felt stung by the soft chastisement.  
“I get it! My apologies. I just thought we were having a moment.”

  
Rosie snorted. “I suppose it was something like a moment. You can still miss me with your lazy excuse for a pass.”

  
Duff was practically choking with laughter, and Slash glared at him, though the effect was somewhat muted by the ever-present mirrored glasses. Axl was coughing behind a hand, eyes bright.  
Stepping up, the singer offered his arm again.

  
“Young lady, if I might escort you away from these ruffians?” He affected a definite ‘aristocratic’ accent, leaving Rosie smiling back as she again curled small hands around his arm.

  
“I’d be most delighted, kind sir.” She tried to match his tone, laughing too much to pull it off.

  
“Hey, I wasn’t being a ‘ruffian’!” Duff protested.  
Leading Rosie away, Axl turned to give a shit-eating grin over his shoulder.  
“Suck it, blondie!”

  
Passing down spiraling ramps, they walked past the VIP lounge as they headed towards the exit and the waiting tour bus. Axl paused, listening in to happy shouts from the small group, replay of tonight’s show playing in the background.

  
“I just need to stick my head in for a moment. Wanna come with? I bet they’d love to meet you.”

  
Rosie shook her head, eyes a little wide. “No, really. I’ll just wait out here. It’s fine.”

  
Axl patted her shoulder gently. “I get it. I’ll be right back out – you’re my excuse to bail.”

  
He walked into the room, and she could hear the frenzied noise of the excited crowd turn almost deafening in their excitement. True to his word though, he was back out moments later, arms laden with all sorts of small trinkets and gifts that he immediately handed off to one of the security detail.

  
Turning to Rosie, he put a hand over his heart. “I swear that’s the last stop till the party.”

  
She giggled, waving her hand at the singer. “More like you swear you’re up to no good, I think.”

  
“That’ll be at the party.” Mel interjected, sliding up to punch Axl lightly on the arm. “Holding us all up again, I see.” The redhead feigned shock, to the amusement of the gathering band.

  
“Surely you jest.”  
“I’m quite serious, and don’t call me Shirley.” Mel snickered. “Now move it, old man, before I yeet you out the door.”

  
Axl turned a curious look at the keyboardist, just as Rosie spoke up.  
“Need help with that?”

  
Mel grinned wide. “You offering?” She slid around behind Axl, who was now glancing back and forth between the two women.

  
“Hold on there, ladies. I’m an old man with bad ankles. Let’s not get carried away!...”

  
Rosie winked at Mel, sidling up to Axl’s other side. “Don’t worry, I know it’s not the kind of double-team you’re used to, but we’ll be gentle.”

  
“Hey, now, wait a minute!”

  
Matt and the rest of the team leaned on one another as they laughed, watching Axl get escorted firmly and swiftly out of the venue by the two women, disappearing with a terribly insincere cry for help onto the bus. When the others joined them, they found Axl seated like a king with his arms around both ladies, booted feet up on a low table.

  
Slash grinned. “Looking pretty comfy there, old man.”

  
Axl flashed a thousand-watt smile right back, making a big show of squeezing Mel and Rosie while they giggled madly. “And why shouldn’t I?”  
…………….  
The ride to the hotel was quick, Axl keeping the conversation light as the band members chatted with each other. They pulled some of Rosie’s musical preferences out of her, Axl teasing her terribly when she admitted to liking Linda Ronstadt and Hall & Oates in her youth, at least till she and Mel started tickling him from both sides, leaving him vainly trying to protect himself while even the security staff were rolling on the floor.

  
Once in the suite, Axl led Rosie around, keeping her close as he talked with celebrities and other top tier fans. Seeing her get overwhelmed with attention, he smoothed over the conversation, redirecting the admirer’s energy while he hinted she should go get some food.

  
She smiled in relief, ducking out of the little group to head off towards the generous buffet. Getting caught up with acquaintances and business associates, Axl lost track of her, save for an occasional glimpse of her wandering ghost-like past happily chattering groups.

  
Her timidity and low-end outfit ensured that most of the party’s patrons ignored her completely, and Axl frown as he considered the attitudes of people invited to the event. He meant to reach out, bring her to some of the more chill people hanging out, but he got distracted again, the night turning slowly to very early morning.

  
Duff slid up to him somewhere past 3am, the tall blonde looking as fresh and bouncy as he had the morning before the concert started.

  
Feeling the effects of the long night, Axl grumbled at the smiling man.  
“Whaddya want, you perky fucker?”

  
Duff laughed, clapping Axl on the back a little harder than was really necessary.  
“Just thought you might wanna go collect your trim. She’s been enjoying the party a little too much, from the looks of it. Slash and I are taking bets on if she’ll even make it to your suite before kissing the floor.”

  
Axl groaned, looking around for Rosie, seeing her staggering slightly, holding on to a wall for support. She looked around blearily, confusion writ across her face.

  
Duff patted Axl’s shoulder consolingly. “Thought you were past that kinda stuff, but whatever does it for you, I guess. Better give it up tomorrow though.” The blonde wandered off chuckling.

  
Sighing, the singer moved to help, determined, despite what the bassist thought, to at least make sure she made it to a cab in one piece. The closer he got, the more concerned, as he watched her zone out only to snap back with fright, head swiveling wildly.  
Reaching her side, he slid a guiding arm across her shoulders, only to have her nearly jump out of her skin, eyes almost all whites with panic as she tried to shrink away from his touch. Recognition hit, her eyes focusing on him clearly, and she grabbed tight to the collar of his shirt.

  
“Ru..roof.” She mumbled; speech heavily slurred. Axl shook his head gently, patting her hand.

“No, Rosie. We’re not going to the roof tonight. Let’s get you a ride home, ok?”

She turned, swaying as her eyes glassed over again, then shook her head so violently Axl had to steady her.

  
“N…no…roof..ru…roof..” she pushed a half-full glass at him.

  
“Easy, Rosie. I think you’ve had enough. Come on.”

  
He went to grab the glass but she held it firm, glancing down at it and back up to him, sorrow and fear warring in her eyes.

Axl went still, wheels clicking in his head.“FUCK!”

  
Rosie swayed again, some her tension releasing. Meeting his gaze, she nodded sadly. Someone had roofied his guest.


	2. Taking Root

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rough night ahead for Axl and Rosie

2_ Taking Root

....................................

Warnings: no warnings other than rough language, implied unsavory intentions

……………………

Swearing under his breath, Axl pulled Rosie close, steadying his guest-turned-charge. At this point, there was no way in hell he’d let her out of his sight, not when he had no idea who had slipped her a mickey. The only thing he felt sure of was what had been intended, and that was not going to happen.

“Come with me, Rosie. I’ll keep you safe tonight.”

Rosie peered up at him owlishly, still swaying slightly. She nodded, her head bobbing, limbs loose and rubbery. With his guidance, they started heading out of the party room towards his suite. Duff sidled up, smirking.

“Was kinda joking earlier. You really gonna go for it?”

Axl favored him with an acid filled scowl, making the guitarist step back a bit.

“Shut up, fuckhead and lend a hand. Some asshole roofied Rosie and I’m not going to let them finish the job.”

Duff’s dark eyebrows nearly hit his hairline. “That’s fucked up. Gimme a sec.”

He scooted around, threading a long arm under Rosie’s on her other side. Between the two of them they were practically lifting her as they walked swiftly towards the elevators.

Rosie whimpered, looking up at Duff with a hazy confusion laced with fear. The blonde favored her with the kind of comforting smile he reserved for his daughters, doing his best to look as nonthreatening as he could.

“It’s alright, Rosie. You’re gonna be ok. Just let us help.”

She rolled her head towards Axl, the singer also giving her a soft look.

“Safe, Rosie. You’re safe. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”

He felt her hand grip gently at his shoulder, her breath hitching as they finally made it to his suite. With Duff’s help he got Rosie into the bed, leaving her shoes on and tucking her in, stopping himself just in time from kissing her forehead as she looked up at him.

Closing the bedroom door, he walked Duff out to the hallway, the blonde’s room just across from his.

“You sure you don’t wanna call a doc or something?”

Axl groaned, leaning against the wall for a moment. “This is already gonna be a shitstorm, no sense traumatizing her more by bringing medics and hospitals and police into it when she can’t tell them anything anyway. Better for her to sleep it off, deal with the fallout when we’ve all had some rest. If she really freaks, well, there’s lawyers and money, same as always.”

“Fair enough. Alright, old man, if you need help, you know where to find me.”

Duff patted his bandmate’s shoulder, turning and opening the door to his own rooms. Axl ran a hand through his hair again. “If you hear screaming, at least knock before you break the door down. Unless it’s me who’s screaming.”

Duff chuckled. “Shouldn’t be hard to tell, her voice was lower than yours, least when she sang.”

“Bastard.”

“No, that’d be you. Goodnight, old man.”

“’Night.”

Axl closed his own door, wandering back in to the bedroom to check on his charge. She lay curled up tightly, squeaking when he sat down on the other side of the bed to reach over and rub her shoulder.

“I’m gonna get you some water, Rosie, it’ll help you feel better. I’ll be right back.”

Coming back to the bedside with a mostly full glass, he set it on the nightstand near her,

“OK, Rosie. It’s just me. I’m going to help you sit up.” He lifted her upright, seating himself almost behind her on the bed to be her support, holding the glass as he wrapped her shaking hands around it, lifting it carefully to her lips.

“There you go, take it slowly.”

His voice was soft and low in her ear as she finished the water, moving the glass to the stand when she was done.

“Alright now, let’s get you tucked back in. You’ll feel better in the morning…well, after you’ve slept some, anyway.”

Axl moved to get up, only to have Rosie cling to his arm, shaking like a leaf. In the dim light of the side table lamp, she looked pale and fragile, and he could feel his resolve crumble.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath.

“OK, Rosie. I’ll stay. I’ll be back in a moment, just hang on.”

He slid out from behind her, hitting the bathroom before coming back to sit on the other side of the bed, taking off his boots, and staring at his jeans for a moment. He turned, catching her eye as he put a hand on one of hers.

“Rosie, I hope you don’t hate me later, but I can’t sleep in these. I swear I mean no harm.”

He skimmed quickly out of his pants, slipping under the covers and pulling her close. She whimpered a little, hands gripping at his t-shirt, as she curled up into his side. He stroked her hair, leaning in to kiss Rosie’s forehead.

“You’re fine, Rosie. Just get some rest, I’ll be right here.”

He drifted off, the feel of Rosie’s head on his chest a comforting weight.

………….

Dawn was barely breaking, the sky peeking through the curtains a paling blue as Axl was roused from deep sleep with a smack to his face, followed by several more across his chest and a knee dangerously close to his jewels. He sputtered and sat up, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

On the other side of the bed, Rosie was sitting up, hyperventilating, eyes rimmed with white.

“Rosie, it’s ok, you’re alright.” He reached out, only to watch her startle, tipping over the side of the bed and landing with a thump and a squeak on the floor.

Running a hand across his face, he got up, walking around the bed. Rosie scrabbled away from him, stopping when her back hit the wall. She held up shaking hands as he got close, her body curled protectively away.

Axl groaned as he kneeled down, his knees protesting. He reached out slowly, keeping his voice low and gentle.

“It’s gonna be ok, Rosie. You’re fine, no one hurt you. No one is gonna hurt you. You got roofied, and I brought you here to sleep it off. See? Your shoes are still on. Nothing happened.”

He took her hand, rubbing it gently with his own. Even keeping up the soft chatter, it took a while for her shaking to stop, breathing to finally slow down to something like normal.

She turned her head to look at him, tears spilling down her cheeks. Snuffling, hiccuping, she caught her breath, glancing at Axl but unwilling to hold his gaze.

“Hey there, Rosie, tell me how you’re feeling now, alright? Is there something you need?”

She pulled her hand away from his, swiping at her eyes. “I’m …ok? Nothing happened?”

“No, Rosie. I kept you safe, just like I said I would. Can’t you tell? Does anything hurt?”

“No…no…I don’t feel bad…just my head hurts a little…”

Axl sighed. “That’s the drug. You’re probably a bit dehydrated. Do you want some water?”

She rubbed her arms, glancing around. “I…yeah…I just need to…umm…”

Huffing out a smile, Axl leaned back on his heels. “Water pressure?”

She nodded. With an exaggerated groan, he levered himself to his feet slowly, holding out his hand. “Need a hand up? God knows I almost didn’t make it.”

A shadow of a smile twitched at her lips, and she nodded again, reaching tentatively out to grasp first one of his hands, then the other, as he smiled and helped pull her to her feet, where she wobbled a little.

“Just lean on me, I’ll get you to the door and you can take it from there, alright?”

“ok.”

“Thata girl. You’ll be fine. But just holler if you need me. I’ll go get some water.”

When he came back into the bedroom, Rosie was exiting the bathroom, her face looking freshly washed. She looked at the bed a moment, frowning.

“Feeling better? Come sit down and have some water.”

Rosie gave a pale smile, walking more steadily to sit on the edge of the bed. Axl sat beside her, handing her the glass, not letting go till she had it in both hands.

Her first sip was barely enough to wet her lips, but after that she drank it all down. She held the glass in her lap, rubbing the side with her thumb.

“What happens now?”

“It’s up to you, Rosie. If you want, I’ll get you a ride back to your hotel, one of my own drivers who’ll make sure you get there safe and sound. Or, you can sleep here, and I’ll go sleep out on the couch. A little more rest will do us both good.”

“I…I’d like to stay here, if that’s ok? …I don’t really want to be alone.”

Axl smiled gently, reaching out to take Rosie’s hand in his again.

“That’s fine. I’ll just grab a blanket out of the closet and we’ll be all set.”

He moved to get up, but she kept gripped his hand, glancing at him from the side, head dipping.

“You…you don’t have to sleep on a couch? …I…would feel better…if I wasn’t alone.”

Axl chuckled. “You sure about that? My kidneys are still recovering from your fierce attack.”

She bobbed her head again, face flushing. “Sorry!”

“Heh, don’t be. I’ve endured worse wake ups.” He patted her hand gently. “Ready to get some more sleep?”

Rosie nodded. He stood up, pulling her up with him. “Alrighty then. Might want to take your shoes off this time, but it’s your call.”

Getting over to the other side of the bed, Rosie looked at Axl pensively. He flashed what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Something wrong?”

She shook her head, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “I…don’t want to sleep in my pants either? You’ll…I’ll still be safe?”

“Rosie, you could strip naked and you’d still be safe. I meant what I said. Have to say though, if you did, I’d be mighty tempted to look…but I’d never touch without a clear invitation.”

She gave a pale smile, sitting down to kick off her shoes and peel out of her jeans, sliding under the covers without revealing anything but bare feet. Axl slid in, turning towards Rosie and leaning up on his elbow.

“You sure you’re ok with this, Rosie? You’ve had a bit of a rough night, and I don’t want to make it worse by making you uncomfortable.”

She turned to look up at him. “No…you’re fine, really. I should be thanking you for your kindness. You’ve been awfully patient with me.”

He snorted; eyes bright. “Not my first rodeo, Rosie. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve helped people come down off drugs, intentionally taken or otherwise. You’re actually one of the easier cases, really. Even with the pummeling.”

Rosie’s expression drooped, her eyes going sad. Scooting closer, she reached out, putting a warm hand on Axl’s cheek.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

“You didn’t, little lady. It’s really fine.” He took her hand off his cheek, kissing her knuckles, smiling when she blushed. “Should I be worried about your husband finding out you slept with a rockstar?”

Her smile vanished. “He…I’m a widow, Axl.”

“Shit. I’m sorry, Rosie.”

She gave a sad huff. “Nothing for you to be sorry about. You didn’t know.”

He rubbed the back of her hand gently with his thumb. “Is that why you were crying on stage?”

Rosie stared at Axl a moment before dropping her gaze, her voice rough with emotion. “No…my children…are gone too.”

Axl sighed deeply, running a hand over his face, settling back down on his pillows. “Jesus, Rosie…I’m really sorry for putting you through all of this. You just stood out, there on the floor. I really was trying to do something nice.”

She hiccuped; throat still thick. “I know, Axl. And it was…amazing, really. Being up there with you, that was the best thing that’s happened to me in a really long time.”

“You…maybe want a totally nonthreatening hug?”

Sniffling a little, she moved closer. “That really would be nice.”

Turning, he lifted an arm invitingly, and she snuggled in, nestling her head against his chest. The way she fit against him felt so perfect, he felt his own throat close up a little.

“Don’t be telling anyone now. After all, I’ve got a terrible reputation to keep up.”

Rosie made something like an amused noise, as a soft hand slowly patted his chest. “Your secret’s safe, mister. Besides, who’d believe me?”

Managing a dry chuckle, Axl rubbed her back. “Well, you’ve got me there, I guess.”

Curling an arm around him, she nuzzled closer, breath slowing. Feeling her relax against him, he kissed her forehead, settling back as sleep reclaimed him.

………………………

Axl woke again several hours later, more decently close to noon. Looking over, he saw Rosie was still asleep, curled up with her back to him, face peaceful in her rest.

Smirking at a stray thought, he got up carefully, making quiet use of the bathroom before padding out to the outer room and making a call. A short while later, he knelt down by Rosie’s side of the bed, placing a light hand on her shoulder and shaking her gently.

“Hey, nice lady. Time to wake up now.”

She cracked a slightly puffy eye at him, smile tweaking her lips. “Do I have to?”

Axl laughed, patting her a little more firmly. “Yup. Rise ‘n shine, up ‘n at ‘em. All that shit.”

She sat up, groaning, turning her head and stretching, letting off an alarming amount of cracks and pops.

“Shit, I thought I was the only sounded like that when I woke up.”

Rosie turned a smirk Axl’s way. “Body like rice krispies, yeah? Just snap, crackle and pop.”

Heaving himself to his feet, his laugh was deep and hearty. “Just like that. Go ahead and put yourself together, breakfast…well, brunch really, awaits.”

“Coffee?”

“Of course! I’m not a savage like Duff, who gets up at the crack of dawn chipper and cheery.”

“Ugh, so unnatural.”

“I know, right? See you out in the main area.”

He went out and sat down, ladling up a heaping plate of the breakfast room service had delivered. Rosie came out and joined him, smiling happily at the spread, grabbing a piece of bacon to chew on as she poured herself coffee.

“I see you go for the vital substances – pork and caffeine. A girl after my own heart, really.”

Rosie laughed. “Caffeination recapitulates phylogeny.”

“Wait, what?”

“Coffee allows one to re-evolve from a single cell to a complex, multicellular organism.”

“Too many big words, not enough coffee. Ow, hey!”

Rosie pulled her foot back after kicking him gently under the table, smiling impishly. “Brat.”

“I’m a brat – you kicked me!” Axl chuckled, tossing a grape at her.

Her eyes flashed wickedly, smile growing, and she cast around for something to retaliate with. Axl put out a staying hand. “Rosie…”

Just as she took hold of a soft strawberry, a knock came at the outer door.

“Peace?”

Rosie smirked. “This time, imp.”

Axl flashed a bright smile, getting up to answer the door. Duff and Slash stood outside, the blonde raising an eyebrow in silent question. The singer just grinned, waving them both inside.

Duff was the first to lock eyes with Rosie, smirk plastered on his chiseled face. “Rosie! Feeling better?”

She nodded, dipping her head, more soft-spoken than she’d been moments before, not meeting Duff’s gaze. “I am, thank you. I…think you helped me too?”

“Yes, I’m surprised you remember.” He came over, crouching down so he didn’t loom, and placed a hand on the arm of her chair. “I’m very glad we caught you in time. Those parties aren’t anything like they used to be, but that doesn’t mean shit doesn’t still happen now and then.”

Rosie turned his way, giving him a soft glance. “I’m glad too. I hope… no one else suffered?”

Duff sent an uncomfortable look Axl’s way. The singer sighed, nodding. “We’ll check with security. It might be difficult to be sure though, there aren’t surveillance cameras, only a couple of security to cover both rooms. It’s not something we really gave any thought to before, as long as we kept ourselves clean.”

“I understand. But I’d hate to think someone else was hurt just because I escaped.”

Patting Rosie’s shoulder, Duff stood up. “You’re really much too nice for all this. How’d you get mixed up with this asshole again?”

“Ugly bastard, speak for yourself. I’m an angel. Isn’t that right?” Axl did his best to give a most innocent look at Rosie.

“I’m quite sure butter wouldn’t melt, Axl.”

“See…hey! You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“I am, but one can only stretch credulity so far…”

The two guitarists started cackling, Slash reaching over to thump Axl on the back.

“No quarter for you, old man.”

“Fucker. And stop eating Rosie’s breakfast.”

“I’m eating your breakfast, there’s still plenty left for Rosie.”

Axl rolled his eyes to the heavens, then looked back at a giggling Rosie. “See what I have to put up with?”

“Aww, poor baby…sleeping in, eating fancy meals in hotels, hanging out with celebrities, traveling the world…must be so rough on you.”

A wicked look came over Axl, and he gave Rosie wide grin.

Watching the singer, Duff frowned. “Axl…”

“How’d you like to find out for yourself?”

Rosie gave Axl a blank stare. “What?”

“Come with us, at least to the next city, and watch our next show. I’ll get you back home after. Whaddaya say?”

“I…” A look of grief passed briefly over Rosie’s face, gone almost too quickly, but not before the men around her noticed. She took a ragged breath, smile working its way back. “That…sounds wonderful. Are you sure, though? I wouldn’t want to be more trouble than I’ve already been.”

“No trouble at all, Rosie. We’ll be taking a bus from here to the next show, leave in about an hour, I think? That enough time to get you back to your place and pick up some stuff?”

Rosie looked a little stunned. “A…yeah, more than enough. My hotel is just around the corner.”

Axl nodded. “Alright then, its settled. Go get your stuff, come back here and we’ll hit the road.”

“I…just come up here? To this suite? Will they let me?”

“Don’t worry, Rosie. I’ll send one of the guys down to wait for you.”

“OK. I’ll just go get my things then. Thank you.” She got up, patting Duff on the back very gingerly, walking towards the door. Axl stood and moved to catch up with her.

“Hang on there, Rosie, and say goodbye proper.” He caught her up in big hug, squeezing her hard enough to hear her ‘oof’. Pulling back, he looked her straight in the eye. “Now, no bailing, at least not without letting me know. Matter of fact, give me your phone for a second.”

He held out his hand, and reluctantly she pulled her phone out, opened it, handing it to him.

“Huh, pretty background.” He quickly added his phone number, took a quick selfie to add as an icon and went to find ring and text tones. “Darth Vader…really? Rosie! Don’t you have any of our music?”

She snorted. “I don’t pay for music anymore, Axl. Save for what’s in my old files, I just use free streaming. That’s what poor people do.”

“Hrmph. I see you have Pink Floyd. Guess that’ll have to do.” He punched in a few more things, then handed the phone back, picking up his own and texting quickly. The intro to “Wish you were here” started, and she giggled.

“There, now you’re all set. Back here quick as you can.”

She flashed a relieved smile, opening the door and waving as she left.

Closing the door, he turned to see Duff and Slash looking at him with exasperated and amused faces, respectively. Duff was the first to speak.

“What was that? You manage to get your little diversion past last night’s fuckup without wanting to sue the pants off us, now you want to bring her along like some kind of pet? What were you thinking?”

Slash gave Duff a cool look. “Relax, man. She’s a chill chick, I can tell. It’ll be fine.”

Duff rolled his eyes. “You would say that. You never worry about anything. And you’re still trying to get in her pants.” Turning back towards Axl, he raised an eyebrow. “Did you get in her pants? Is that why you want her along?”

Axl scowled. “No, I didn’t, rotten fucker. That’s not why I want to bring her.” He frowned harder at the looks of disbelief on their faces. “Fuck you both. I can be a gentleman when I want. And you have no idea what she’s been through. It wouldn’t kill any of us to be nice to her for a little while.”

Slash looked Axl over thoughtfully, a smile twitching at his full lips. “You’re sweet on her.”

Axl glared at him, but didn’t say anything.

Slash chuckled. “You really are. So, is this your way of testing the waters? See if she can handle this life, or if it’ll scare her away for good?”

“Asshole. So what if it is?”

Duff groaned. “You really have great timing, jackass. We’ve got our groove back, now you wanna throw a wrench in it?”

“It’ll be fine, Duff…just cut me a little slack on this.”

The blonde ran long fingers through loose locks, sighing deeply. “I hope you know what you’re doing, ‘cause this is either going to go really well, or end in Armageddon.”

Axl plopped down in a chair, draping himself over it and throwing an arm over his eyes. “I know it, Duff. Believe me, I know.”


	3. Sinking Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting to the next show brings revelations...and trouble

Rose N Bud 3 – Sinking Deep

……….

Warnings: mild description of violence, blood

Song credit: “Come Together” (orig. by the Lennon/McCartney…but Rosie’s version matches the one performed by Gary Clark Jr. and Junkie XL)

……………..

Shifting her shoulder to pull freshly washed hair free of her backpack, Rosie walked into the hotel where the band had been staying, looking around nervously. A burly young man in a skin tight black shirt walked up to her, making her startle and take a step back.

“Rosie?”

She nodded. He flashed a bright smile, and a GNR security badge. “I’m Tom. Follow me.”

Rosie smiled tentatively, walking after him, glad he slowed his pace for her. He took her down to the basement, out to a rough-looking loading dock where several large sleek black buses waited. Tom directed her towards one, nodding reassuringly as she stood at the steps.

Taking a deep breath, she boarded, looking around as she made the top of the stairs. She stood in a large common area with a bank of built-in seats that curved around towards the front of the bus, where a number of the band were stretched out chatting. Axl lit up as he recognized her.

“Rosie! I knew you’d come!”

Mel gave her a friendly wave from where she was curled up. “You’re a brave woman, Rosie, wading in to this sausage fest.”

“You seem to manage it okay.”

“Years of practice, honey.” Mel laughed. “And the occasional beat down.”

“That’s the truth, Rosie. Mel’s got a hard right hook.”

Coming over, he gave her a curious look. “Where’s your stuff?”

Rosie shrugged, letting her backpack slide off her shoulder. “This is all I have.”

“Travel light, hmm? Nice. Come on, I’ll show you where you can drop it.”

Leading her to the middle of the bus, he showed her a stairwell. “Go on up.”

She started up the stairwell, craning her head back and forth as she reached the top, where rows of beds lined the space.

“This is so cool!”

“Huh, well, I’m sure it must be, the first fifty times or so…Just go ahead and toss your stuff anywhere. We’re not that far from the next show, so we won’t be using the beds much.”

Coming back down the stairs, Axl gestured around. “We’ve got our own kitchen and a decent bathroom. The back is more open, gives the guys room to set up equipment and practice during the longer rides.”

“That must be fun to watch. You sing with them too?”

“Some, gotta keep the pipes warmed up.” Axl smiled. “But I try not to overdo it between shows, my throat needs recovery time.”

“I’d wondered about that. Yours is the only really irreplaceable instrument.”

“Don’t let Slash hear you say that. He’s had some of those guitars for decades, even named them.”

“I can believe that! Everyone is so talented, but he’s got something exceptional going on when he has a guitar in his hand.”

Axl’s face turned wistful. “It’s true. I knew there was something different about him the first time I heard him play in a dingy little dive bar on the strip.”

“I’ve seen some photos and video of the early days. You all seemed so rough and raw. I can’t imagine how it must have felt, fighting for your place on the music scene. The whole lot of you all looked half-starved.”

Axl snorted in amusement. “We were starving most of the time.” He patted his stomach, smirking. “Slash and I have definitely got past that issue.”

“You talking smack about me, old man?”

Slash had wandered over, leaning against a cabinet near Axl.

“Just telling Rosie our days of being lean, mean and hungry are long over.”

Slash grinned wide. “Well, maybe the lean and hungry parts. You’re still a mean son of a bitch.”

“Fucker. You’re not exactly a ray of sunshine.” He gave Slash a shove, eyes twinkling.

“Oh, like that, yeah?” Slash reached over, grabbing Axl’s shirt, pulling him forward and throwing an arm around his neck to loop behind him, growling in his ear. “Whatcha gonna do now, pretty boy?”

Axl looked positively wicked as he dropped down, then pushed up with his back, knocking the wild-haired man into the cabinets behind them with a wheezy ‘oof’. Spinning, he reached out, he and Slash starting to grapple, and he was tossed into the cabinets himself.

Reaching up, the singer put a hand into wild curls, gripping tight enough to tip Slash’s head up and back. They stood panting and grimacing at each other, almost growling, only to pause and turn at the sound of a soft gasp.

“Are you…ok?”

The two men relaxed immediately, facing Rosie with wide grins, Slash throwing a friendly arm over Axl’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, little lady. We’ve been wailing on each other since we were teens.”

“We don’t take it to the mat too much anymore. Too hard to get up these days.”

“Heh, speak for yourself, old man. I’m still plenty bouncy.”

“Spoken like someone who hasn’t broken most of the bones in their legs several times over.”

Rosie chuckled. “Well… if someone didn’t have a penchant for diving face first off the stage all the time…”

“Hah! She’s got you on that one, old man.”

“Eh, suck it.”

Slash snorted. “You first.”

Rosie broke in. “As much as I’d -truly- love to see that, I think I’d rather get comfortable first.”

Both men turned wicked smiles Rosie’s way. Slash moved in, leaning over her, thick body swaying with the motion of the moving bus.

“Well, well. Who knew you were such a wild woman?”

“What’s to know? Why should ‘two are better than one’ only be for dudes?”

“See that, Ax? It’s always the quiet ones.” He put a large hand on Rosie’s shoulder, thumb rubbing the side of her throat. Rosie harrumphed, frowning, though her cheeks flushed.

“It’s only ‘always the quiet ones’ because no one pays us any attention.” She pried Slash’s hand off her neck, slipping out from under his looming form.

“Mind you, for me, it’s entirely theoretical.”

“Is what now?” the guitarist laughed, leaning against the cabinets where Rosie had been.

“An idea, not an experience.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing then...”

She glanced over her shoulder to look him over with disdain. “Don’t know, don’t care.”

Slash pursed his lips, scowling as Rosie turned to walk away.

“What’s it gonna take, little lady?”

She turned slightly back, winking Axl’s way where Slash couldn’t see.

“Let it go, beastie. It’s clearly beyond your abilities.”

Axl coughed amusedly, barely hiding a laugh as Rosie left to join the group in the common area.

“Little bitch is tougher than I thought.”

“Maybe if you weren’t trying to hump her leg like a dog…”

“What, she only likes guys that pretend they don’t want her? How blue are your balls, Ax?”

Giving a not-so-light punch on the arm, Axl threw him a cool look.

“Quit it, fucker. It ain’t always about how fast you can get to bumping uglies.”

Slash rubbed his arm, smiling at Axl and leaning in close.

“So…do you think she’d actually go for doubles? Been a while since we had fun with each other…”

Axl nearly growled. “Not now, Slash.”

The guitarist laughed, the deep sound carrying through the space. “Damn, you have got it bad. Good luck with that shit.”

Slash clapped his friend on the arm, trailing back towards the common area after Rosie.

Axl sighed, running both hands up his face and over his scalp, leaning into the cabinets behind him.

Rich came shouldering past, heading for the fridge to pull out some pop and energy drinks. Axl caught him glancing over, hiding a smirk.

“What, I got something on my face?”

Rich chuckled, closing the fridge door, gathering up the pile of cans.

“Maybe, yeah. Don’t think you’ll be able to wipe it off that easy though.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, sure. She’s really sweet, by the way. Can’t figure out what she might see in you.”

“Thanks, jackass.”

“Anytime, man. Come on, grab a drink and join us. Maybe we’ll get her talking, finally get to know her a bit, find out she’s really an ax murderer or something.”

Grumbling, Axl shrugged. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Rich wandered off, shaking his head. Pushing off from the wall, Axl glared at the kitchen, finally going over and putting some water in the electric kettle. He gathered fixings and some travel mugs as the water heated, ladling everything out once it was ready, sweetening both mugs generously with honey.

Finally smiling, he grabbed the cups, heading over to the common area lounge. Rosie sat on the outside of the seat bank, hovering at the edge of the conversation, though she grinned and scooted in when she saw him coming.

“Here you go, Rosie. Sweet tea for a sweet singer.”

She blushed a little, the apples of her cheeks brightening as she picked up the mug in both hands. Holding it close, she closed her eyes, inhaling the scented steam.

“Oh, it smells lovely. Is that orange and ginger?”

Axl nodded, eyes sparkling, at least until he caught Slash whispering to Duff, the two of them glancing at him with looks of amusement. Taking a deep breath, he rolled his eyes, turning back to Rosie.

“That okay? I didn’t know how you liked it, just made it like mine.”

“It’s perfect, really.”

“So, Rosie, Axl tells us you don’t sing professionally. Have to say that was pretty impressive for an amateur.”

Rosie dipped her head, smiling at Rich’s words. “Thank you. I’ve been singing since I was in high school choir, but really just for the fun of it. And to help the kids settle down. “

“You ever think of going pro?”

She shook her head vigorously. “Absolutely not. As amazing as it was to be up on stage with all of you, that’s really not my comfort zone.”

Slash snorted. “What’s that got to do with it? You just do your thing. No risk, no reward. And it gets easier the more you do it.”

“I get that, Slash. But I’m not a creator like you, just a pale conduit at best. I’d much rather sit back and listen, let the music and lyrics resonate into emotional catharsis.”

“There you go with the big words again.” 

Rosie shrugged. “I don’t mean to sound elitist. I’m sure I had a much different upbringing than you did.”

“Maybe. Tell us about it?”

Rosie took a deep breath, eyes down on her mug. “Alright.”

Axl patted her leg, smiling gently when she looked up at him. “Whatever you’re comfortable with. We’re pretty quiet about our own lives, so we get it.”

“Thanks. It really wasn’t that bad or anything. My mom and dad split up when I was about three. He wanted to move into an anti-hippie commune in San Francisco where we lived, and she wasn’t having it. So, she moved to the east coast to be by her mom, with me and my older sister. I’d go visit him during the summers. If it had been a thing back then, I’d probably have had enough frequent flyer miles to fly around the world by the time I was twelve.”

“Anti-hippie? Is that a thing?”

“It was kind of like a 12-step thing, but with a cult leader instead of organized religion. They were in the news quite a bit back in the day. Mostly because they got out of hand, threatening people, separating kids from parents and being abusive, shit like that. They folded for good in, like, the early nineties, I think.”

“Did they hurt you?” Rosie turned to look up at Axl again, giving his concerned look a wry one of her own.

“Nah, not really. I was a visitor, and a child. They weren’t that stupid, at least not when I was there. I did have to take part in their ‘games’ though. It was a thing where you sat in a circle with your peers once a week and yelled at each other to get all your frustrations out.”

“That…doesn’t sound that bad?”

“Not in theory. And I’m sure there are ways to do it that are productive. But imagine a bunch of seven- to fifteen-year-olds, screaming the worst things they can think of at each other, sometimes for hours. And in the midst of that there’s fat and privileged little me, who gets to leave all that and go home to a real house, a real family, not some dorm filled with shaven-headed strangers. It made me an easy target.”

“Did you give ‘em hell back?”

“That’s not how I’m built, Slash. I’m not one for screaming, or name calling. I don’t believe in hurting anyone else like that.”

“Don’t you ever get mad at people, Rosie? What do you do, punch a pillow?”

Rosie shrugged. “Get massive heartburn?” She gave a weak chuckle. “I don’t know what to tell you, I just try and let it go. I kinda don’t care to waste my energy that way. Easier to just walk away and be happy somewhere else.”

“What do you do when you can’t?” Axl asked softly.

Giving him a bleak look, she answered just as quietly. “Change what you can, endure what you can’t. What other options are there, save the final one?”

The group got quiet, light mood effectively killed. Frank’s strong voice cut the silence.

“You said home was SF? That where you were born?”

Giving him a look of gratitude, Rosie nodded. “That’s why I came to your show. It was perfect timing, a chance to come home, and have a special evening. Well worth paying for the expensive floor space. You all made it much more amazing than I could have imagined, though.”

Frank chuckled, the sound rich and deep. “You have Axl to thank for that. He’s the one that clocked you in the audience.”

Arching an eyebrow, Rosie turned an amused look at the redhead next to her. “Oh, really?”

Axl had the grace to look a little chagrined, rubbing the back of his neck and looking down at his mug. “Well…you seemed a little sad…and I thought it’d be nice to do something…” he smiled at her “kind.”

Smiling back, Rosie leaned her head against Axl’s arm, patting it gently. “It most definitely was that. I seem to owe you for quite a lot of the good that has come my way recently.”

Axl gave a short bark of amusement. “What, like getting you roofied? I’m sure that’s how you thought your night of partying with rockstars was gonna end.”

“Well…I dunno, pretty sure there was a decent statistical probability…”

The whole gang laughed, mood lightening again.

Duff arched a dark eyebrow. “You know stats? Or just know it when you see it?”

Rosie gave him a measured look. “I have a master’s in business, Duff. Most of the work I’ve done over the last few decades has been in data analysis, financial management, operations, project management. So yeah, I know it when I see it.”

Duff whistled, and most of the group looked semi-impressed. Axl had a bright look in his eyes and a toothy grin. “More than just a pretty face then.”

Rosie rolled her eyes. “Dear heavens, I certainly hope so. If that was all I had going for me my family would’ve starved a long time ago.”

“Hey now, none of that. You’re a lovely person, and you really could do something with that voice.”

“Sure. That and a fiver’ll get me cup of coffee. I’ll stick with my day job.”

Slash chuckled. “You’re far too practical, Rosie. You gotta live a little, take a chance.”

“That’s easy to say when no one else is depending on you for survival, or when you have resources to ensure your ‘chances’ aren’t really all that risky. I’ve never had those luxuries in my adult life. This is actually the first time since I was a teenager that I’ve only got myself to take care of. And here I am, singing on stage with an actual legend, getting roofied at an afterparty and traveling in Rockstar style. There a name for aging groupies? Wait…don’t tell me. I don’t think I really wanna know.”

There was general laughter, and Axl put an arm around Rosie, giving her a quick squeeze. “You’re not a groupie, Rosie. No one that matters will think that of you.”

She sighed, patting his leg. “Thank you.”

There was an announcement over the speaker system, the bus driver letting them know they’d be reaching their hotel in about half an hour. Rosie looked around at everyone.

“So, what happens now?”

“Well, we settle in, snag some dinner, have a wonderfully exciting evening for the few hours we have left, get a good night’s sleep and spend tomorrow getting the whole crazy mess set up for showtime in the evening.”

“So…kind of like watching paint dry, but with a good soundtrack? Awesome.”

“Still cheeky. If you were hoping for ‘everything, all the time’ you’re a few decades too late.”

“Aw, hell, no. This is much more my speed. That old party stuff just sounds exhausting…and painful.”

“You were making a good run of it last night.”

“Really?” Rosie raised an eyebrow, giving Duff a stern glance. “You mean the buzz the ginger ale I was drinking gave me before I got drugged?”

“Wait, you weren’t even drinking?”

“I was all alone in a strange land filled with strangers, and, might I add, I still got hit. I put my soda down for a minute, some guy made me so nervous I gulped half of it before the salt aftertaste hit me. Then it really hit me.” Rosie was quiet, looking down at her mug. “If Axl hadn’t stepped up I don’t know what would have happened.”

Axl and Duff exchanged glances. Reaching across the corner of the table, Duff put a large hand over hers. “I’m glad it worked out, really.”

Rosie relaxed a little, giving the tall blonde a small smile.

Patting her hand, he leaned back. “You really are much too nice for all this. Don’t let these assholes wear you down.”

“Hey!” There were several shouts of protest, and the conversation quickly devolved into taunts and embarrassing stories that had Rosie nearly crying with laughter. By the time the busses pulled up to the hotel, everyone was back in good spirits.

………………………………………..

“Just stand here, Rosie.” Axl drew her forward to the center stage. “Slash’ll hit the intro and you just belt it out, loud as you can.”

Rosie looked a little like a deer in the headlights, staring around at all the crew running around like ants as everyone got ready for the night’s concert. Behind her, Duff and Slash were warming up, Rich joining in, Mel testing sound effects on her keyboard while Frank ran through a slow roll, then smacked the high hat with flourish.

“You’re…sure?”

“It’s fine, Rosie. We just need to test the mic, get a read on the volume and tone. You’re really helping me; I rarely get a chance to hear how vocals sound out in the stands.”

“Oh...ok…” She took a deep breath, breathing out slowly. “I’ll do my best.”

Axl pulled her into a quick hug, waving Duff and Slash over. “You’ll do fine. Now, lady’s choice – what song would you like to run through?”

“Ah…would ‘Come together’ be ok?”

Duff smirked. “The Beatles, hmm? I think we can manage that.”

“…Can it be a little …rougher, and…” She scrunched her nose, glancing sideways at the two guitarists without meeting their gaze. “…harder?”

The men all chuckled. “We can do that. Can you?”

Rosie shrugged stiffly, cheeks flushing. “Gonna have to start playing to find out, I guess.”

Duff gave her a sympathetic look, patting Rosie’s shoulder and leaning in close. “Think of the song like it’s playing on the radio. It’s ok if you close your eyes, or focus on the empty seats at the top of the stadium. I know you can do it.”

Nodding, she looked up, eyes and smile bright.

Slash grinned as well, sliding his hands expertly through the opening chords. “Be ready to roll after the second riff, Rosie.”

Another deep breath. “Ok!”

Axl called out. “Gimme a chance to get off stage, dammit!”

“Better move fast then, old man!”

“Fuck you!” Axl laughed, heading stage left to leg it down the stairs.

Slash watched their front man, toying with riffs that were so close to the song’s start, teasing Rosie with wild gyrations till she was almost breathless with laughter. Giving her a minute to calm herself, he wandered back to talk with Rich and Duff then moved back up to take his place on the other side of the stage.

“Ready to rock that old man’s face off?” he called over to her. She gave a quick thumbs up, and he started an exaggerated sway to mark the tempo of the song, Frank picking it up, nodding as Rosie caught it as well.

She seemed ready, but still startled when they started playing, Slash’s guitar wailing high as Duff’s throbbed so low she could feel it in her bones. It took the third riff for her to jump in, but she came out strong, voice husky and rumbling in turns, turning the song dark and suggestive, the tag line breathy. 

Duff laid down a heavy beat that soon had Rosie swaying and rolling. Axl, standing out by the back of the floor space, bounced and clapped along, clearly grinning like a madman.

Nearing the end, Slash came stomping over to her, fingers flying over the strings on his guitar as she started on the last set of lyrics, and her eyes sparkled as she turned, leaning against his broad back as she sang. As she hit the final lines, she raised her free hand, waving it like a conductor, and the group followed her lead, bringing the instruments to a powerful stop as she sang the last ‘over me’ in growling acapella.

She stood panting and grinning like fool, the band whistling and hollering their approval. Axl climbed back up on the stage, clapping wildly. Throwing his arms around her he lifted Rosie up off her feet and swung her around, the whole band and crew laughing as she squealed.

She swatted at him playfully as Axl ruffled her hair, almost glowing with joy, the annoyance clearly for show.

“Great job, Rosie!” He swung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side as he called out to the lead sound tech.

“Jim, did you set the adjustments I asked for?” Axl called into his radio. Up in the booth, one of the men threw him a thumbs up. There was sudden staticky chatter, the singer picking up the radio to listen closer.

Letting go of Rosie, he patted her back, heading towards backstage. The sound of tearing fabric drew her attention to the front edge of the platform, where one of the crew was on his knees, taping wires, making sure they were held down smoothly.

As Axl turned away, the man pulled something out of his pocket, brandishing it as he crouched low. Rosie’s eyes popped and she hurled the mic at him, sprinting to follow it.

Time seemed to slow for her, the mic tumbling end over end, the man batting it away and re-aiming, the bright flash of gunfire and smell of sulfur, his eyes widening as she barreled into him, curling to hit him like a cannonball. They both went down, and she bit hard on the first thing her mouth met, tasting blood and feeling something hard grind between her teeth.

With his rough scream, time sped back up, hands suddenly pulling on her as she fought against them, muffled sounds buzzing low in her ears. Spitting against the taste of iron and slime, panting hard, she swung her head around, eyes blank and glassy.

“ROSIE!” Noise resolved into recognizable sound; her name called with desperation by a familiar voice. Turning, she met sad green eyes, a worried face framed with soft red hair.

A name came to mind, but her voice failed her, soundless lips moving without a whisper. A tear rolled down his cheek, watery smile blossoming as she raised a trembling hand to wipe at it.

Fire burned across her shoulder, her body shaking despite Axl’s tight embrace. She whimpered at the pain and the sight of blood on his neck, trying to wipe at it, pulling at the collar of his shirt to see where he was injured, till he wrapped one of his hands around hers to still her frantic movements.

“Easy, Rosie, you’ll be fine. There’s an ambulance on its way. We’re gonna take good care of you. Just relax. It’s gonna be okay.”

She shook her head, making noises of distress as she kept up her panicked efforts to find where he was hurt. Hands gloved in latex came into view, taking one of hers in gentle grip, one sliding to hold her wrist while the other turned, analog watch with a thick second hand sweeping swiftly across the face on a burly wrist.

A thick voice in her ear called her name, and she turned slowly, flinching at the bald, meaty face so close to hers. “Easy there miss, ah…Rosie was it?” Axl nodded.

“Alright Rosie, I’m going to help you. Don’t be afraid.”

There was a light brush of fabric, sudden waft of cool air on tender skin. Feeling a firm pressure, she cried out, pain lancing down her arm, radiating across her chest. Axl gritted his teeth, nearly growling. “Watch it, fuckface.”

“I have to check the wound, Mr. Rose. Why don’t you help me get Rosie on the stretcher?”

Axl gave her a soft look, cupping her cheek and rubbing it gently. “Okay, Rosie, we’re going to go for a little ride, get you all taken care of. Nothing to worry about, everything’s gonna be okay. There we go.” Getting on one knee, Axl put Rosie’s good arm over his shoulder, letting the medic get up and lay the stretcher down next to her. The man leaned across, strong arms reaching under Rosie as they slid her sideways onto the mattress.

Popping up the safety rails, the medic fiddled with the stretcher a moment, bringing it up to waist height as another responder, this one a lady, came over with a blanket. She smiled at Rosie, laying the blanket over her, chatting softly. “It’s okay, Rosie. We’re going to go for a ride now, get you fixed up. You’ll be right as rain in no time. Everything’s going to be fine, you’ll see.”

The two responders started wheeling her away, Axl walking with them, holding Rosie’s good hand. Slash jogged over, keeping up with them as they moved to the back of the stage.

“What’s the plan, Ax?”

“I’m going with them in the ambulance. Send a car around to the hospital, once I know what’s going on, I’ll be back. Let the crowds know there’ll be a slight delay. Don’t say why, just blame it on me, everyone expects that kind of shit anyway. And tell the cops I want that candyass motherfucker charged with everything they can think of. That fucking ‘Superfan’ fuckjob’s gonna be rotting in jail for what little is left of his miserable fucking life.”

Slash nodded, slowing down and watching the group move off down the ramp to the waiting ambulance. Catching Rosie’s scared glance as she was being lifted into the back of the vehicle, he started waving, not stopping till they were out of sight.


	4. Leaves unfurl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the show, Axl visits Rosie in the hospital...

Leaves unfurl

...........................

Warnings: none, except...the slow burn continues...muahaha... ;)

..........................

Rosie sat looking out as drops of rain ran slow trails down the hospital window. Axl had stayed with her till it was clear the wound was minor, a divot taken out of the muscle above her clavicle that would heal easily with proper care. When a nurse had shown up to clean and dress it, he’d kissed her cheek, backing out of the room with a smile as she shooed him away.

Barely more than an hour after he’d gone, a delivery arrived for her, a huge spray of roses in a rainbow of colors fountaining from sparkling crystal vase. Moving carefully, she got up off the bed, staring, a pale smile slowly dawning on her careworn face.

Standing over the sun-bright bouquet, she inhaled slowly, rich perfume flooding her nostrils, soothing her nerves. Seeing a note card tucked in between the blooms, she reached for it, opening to find a typed note. “Sweet roses for sweet Rosie”.

Rosie ran a hand gently over the blossoms, pulling out one that was shaded like watercolor from pale yellow to rich orange. The sweet scent was heady, and she held it close as she made her slow way back to bed, crawling gingerly back in, curling up on her good side with the rose cradled gently in the hand on her wounded side. Resting her hand on the pillow, the fragrance was like a gentle blanket, wrapping her in comfort as she drifted off.

…………………………

Axl cracked the door, pausing as his eyes adjusted to the darkened room after the too-bright hall. When the concert had ended, he’d barely paused long enough to change t-shirts and wave at the band, hauling out of there like his ass was on fire, practically sprinting to the waiting car.

Walking towards her bedside, he saw the monstrous bouquet of roses, bright even in the dimmed lighting. Seeing Rosie curled up, he walked around to the side she faced, a soft smile washing his features as he saw the flower clutched in her hand.

Taking a moment to look at her, his smile faltered, her features tired and worn under the grime and blood that still stained her skin. His shoulders dropped, and he sighed raggedly, taking off his hat to run fingers across his scalp before putting it back on.

Turning quietly, he headed for the door, head bent. A soft hiccup caught his ear, and he looked over his shoulder, his breath catching at the sight of Rosie staring back, a look of utter devastation on her face.

“Hey there, nice lady.” He swung around, coming back to her bedside, almost trembling himself with the desire to gather her up, do something, anything to wipe that pain off her face. “I hope you liked the roses.”

She ducked her head a moment, sniffling and wiping at her face. “I do. They’re beautiful.” Her voice was rough, and she coughed hard, grimacing as the movement pulled at her sore shoulder.

Glancing around, Axl found a glass and pitcher, and pouring some water offered it, making sure she could reach it with her good hand. Swallowing thickly, she thanked him, and he put the glass back, close enough he could grab it again if she needed.

“How are you feeling?”

Rosie gave Axl a bland look. “With my hands.”

Axl paused for a moment, blinking, then gave a soft chuckle, answered back by a quietly amused huff from Rosie.

“OK, so not on death’s door, then?”

“Guess not.” She agreed, pale smile slipping as she looked up at him. “Can…can you get me out of here?”

He pulled back, surprised. “You sure that’s a good idea? I don’t want you to end up worse off.”

She frowned, shaking her head. “I…just really don’t want to be here. Please?”

“Heh. Well, can’t say as I blame you. I never liked being in places like this. Give me a moment to find someone, OK?”

Rosie nodded, leaning back in the bed as he excused himself to go grab someone. He was back in a moment with a nurse and a doctor, neither of which looked particularly happy. The nurse busied himself checking her vitals while the doctor checked the chart on her pad, then put it down in favor of checking Rosie’s bandages.

“What’s wrong, miss Rose, are our accommodations not to your liking?”

Rosie huffed, pulling on the rail with her good hand to sit up more.

“It’s fine, really. I just don’t need to be here.”

“I’d prefer to be the judge of that.” The doctor grumbled, only half-serious. “But…you do seem to be stable. We’ll process your discharge and get you the meds you’ll need. You will wait for the nurse to return.” Her tone brooked no argument.

Rosie nodded, smile pulling at the edges of her lips. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, doc. Thanks.” Axl gave the lady one of his megawatt grins, to which she just rolled her eyes.

“Thank me by taking care of my patient.” She gave him a pointed look. “I saw her tox screen. It was only her description of how you took care of her that allowed you in to this hospital, let alone this room.”

Axl’s eyes widened, his jaw dropping a little as he turned towards Rosie. She snorted in amusement. “There goes that horrible reputation…”

Recovering quickly, laughing as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Ah, well, thirty years is long enough I guess…”

The doctor chuckled, patting him on the arm. “Your secret’s safe with us.” She gave him a wink. “Patient confidentiality, after all.”

Axl laughed in earnest, bowing to the physician with a flourish of his hat. She and the nurse left as Rosie struggled to slide her legs off the bed. Axl was by her side in a minute, arms out ready to help.

“What do you need?”

“Well, pants, for starters. I think they’re in the closet?”

She pushed the button to lower the bed while he went to the closet, retrieving the small bag her clothes were in. He came over to give her the jeans, making a face as he pulled out the remains of her shirt.

“Don’t think you gonna want to put this back on, unless you’re tryna mimic Slash’s bare-chested look.”

Rosie made a face and sighed. “I guess I could just steal the gown.” She grimaced as she reached for the pants, the movement pulling on her wound.

Putting a hand over hers, Axl picked up the jeans, gathering them up and kneeling slowly at Rosie’s feet. When her face flushed, he just grinned and gave a cheeky wink.

Stepping gingerly into the pants, she put her good hand on Axl’s shoulder to steady herself, letting him help her pull them up and get them fastened.

Her face was bright red by the time he stood, her eyes darting off to the side.

“Guess my reputation really is shot.” When Rosie glanced at him, he huffed, scratching his chin. “Putting clothes back on a pretty woman. That’s a first.”

Rosie sputtered in laughter, groaning when the motion tensed her sore shoulder, swatting him with her good hand.

“Hey!” he laughed, bringing his hands up to block her assault, then dropping them when he realized she’d paused. He saw her gazing down and smirked.

“See something you like?”

He sucked in a breath when Rosie reached for his waist, exhaling softly when she picked up one of the sleeves of the flannel he had tied around his hips.

“Can I borrow this?”

Reaching for it himself, he untied the shirt, giving it a sniff before handing it over. “It’s a little ripe from wearing all night.”

“That’s ok, it’s better than the gown.”

Axl looked at her. “You want help with that too?”

Rosie colored again, but nodded. He moved back so she could turn around, easing the hospital gown off her bad shoulder without exposing her front.

A long, slow whistle drew her attention, and the shy smile she turned him grew when she saw his unabashed delight.

“Rosie! You little minx, playing all sweet and innocent and here you’ve got more ink than I do!”

Standing at arm’s length, he had a clear view of the black and white shaded lion’s head tattoo staring dead center out of Rosie’s back. There were a few touches of color, shades of blue and gold, curling through its mane, and eyes that reminded him very much of Rosie’s own.

She just shrugged a little stiffly, slowly extending her bad arm. Eyes still on the ink, he looped the sleeve out and back, pulling the shirt up and over her bandage with care.

Holding the other sleeve open, he saw she had a flower on her shoulder as well. She pulled the shirt closed with her good hand, buttoning it up a bit before turning back around and sliding into her shoes.

“You’re just full of surprises tonight, my painted lady. Anything else you’d like to share?”

Sighing, she brushed her fingers through her hair, trying to look a little more put together.

“I’d rather not share it at all, Axl. I’m really not that comfortable showing my skin.”

Axl’s gaze softened. “I understand. Hell of a surprise, though I have to say it really does suit you. You sure were brave as a lion when you took that shooter down.”

A look of such anguish brushed over her features that Axl stepped forward, sure she was going to crumble. She leaned back, shaking her head, schooling her features back to calm once again.

The nurse pushed a wheelchair through the door, and Axl moved away to let him put it in position.

“Your chariot awaits!” the young man chirped. “And we’ll be taking you out the service area to keep things quiet.”

Rosie gave him a pale smile, letting him help her sit down and get settled into the chair. Axl picked up the rose she’d laid on the pillow, handing it over to her, and the smile she gave him was much warmer.

Looking over at the huge bouquet, Axl nodded. “I’ll carry that for you.”

Rosie tilted her head slightly to catch the nurse’s eye. “Are there people on the floor who could use a little brightness in their day?”

“Always. Would you like to donate it? We can take care of it for you.”

“Would that be alright, Axl? Would you mind me sharing it? I’d love for it to make others here as happy as it made me.” Rosie dipped her head, eyes hopeful.

He shook his head with a smile. “Nah, Rosie. I’m glad you thought of it.”

Quick as a wink, the nurse had them out the door, into staff areas and down to the dock where Axl’s car waited, pulling the wheelchair up to the back door as Axl opened it. Rosie got up and in and Axl was about to close it, the nurse spoke up.

“Mr. Rose?”

An amused smirk flickered over Axl’s face as he turned towards the young man.

“Yes?”

“Ah…” The nurse dropped his gaze, scratching nervously at the back of his head, ruffling the shaved section under his ponytail. Axl snorted, and the man twitched in surprise.

“Get on with it.”

“CouldIpleasegetyourautograph?” the nurse breathed out all at once, pulling a sharpie out of his pants and holding it with a quivering hand.

Glancing over his shoulder, Axl caught Rosie’s delighted face, and he rolled his eyes in feigned exasperation.

“Alright then. You got a pic or something?”

The young man rolled up his sleeve, showing off an intricate tattoo of the Guns ‘N Roses cross and skulls. Axl laughed outright.

“Well, can’t say you don’t have good taste.”

Signing carefully under the cross, he handed the pen back to man.

“When do you get off work, ah…Niko, is it?” Axl asked, looking at the nurse’s name tag.

“Six A.M., I work the night shift.”

“Well, Niko, if you can make it to our hotel before seven, you could add at least a couple more sigs to your collection.”

Niko’s eyes went big, only outdone by his huge grin. “THANK YOU!!!” He waved like crazy as Axl got in and the car pulled away.

Rosie sighed deeply, sinking into the plush seat, weariness written large across her features. Axl watched her quietly.

“Are you alright, Rosie, really? Is it time to help you get home?”

The pain he’d seen earlier flashed across her face again, though she pushed it away quickly.

“I’m sorry, Axl. I don’t mean to be so much trouble. I can go if you think it’s what’s best for you and your friends.”

“Rosie, Jesus! It’s not like that at all! I don’t know how many people could’ve been hurt if you hadn’t been there for us. I’m just afraid this has all been too hard on you.”

He reached over, taking her hand in his. “I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore, Rosie. You’re really far too sweet and kind to be dragged under like this.”

“It’s ok, Axl. It’s not been all bad. I’ve had so much fun. And being up on stage, twice? That was magical. I knew it wouldn’t be forever.”

There was an unfamiliar tightness in Axl’s chest at Rosie’s wavering words. “Do you really want to go home, Rosie?”

She gave him a side glance, face neutral, shaking it slightly. The tightness eased a bit, and he expelled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“I’d like to have you stay with me. With the band, I mean, for as long as you can. Will you stay?”

Rosie drew a ragged breath of her own. “I will.” Scooting a little closer to her, he rested one arm on the backrest, beckoning her with the other, relaxing as she curled into his side, head nestled on his chest.

Making the hotel, he whisked her up to their suite with quiet efficiency.

“You hungry for anything, Rosie? I’m sure they didn’t feed you well in that joint.”

Rosie shook her head. “I’m not feeling like food right now. Thank you though.”

“I understand. You want me to take that?” He held his hand out and she looked at him with confusion. “The rose. I could put it in some water.”

“Oh. Yes, please.”

She wandered off to the bathroom as he put the flower in a glass from the bar. His attention was caught by soft cry, followed by retching, concern drawing him close to the bathroom door.

Hesitating, he heard the commode flushing, more silence, and then…sobbing?

“Rosie?” Axl kept his voice low, knocking softly. “Rosie? I’m coming in, OK? I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

He opened the door slowly, looking around the spacious bathroom to find Rosie curled up on the floor, hands covering her face as she shook. The sink faucet dribbled water down the drain as he came over, crouching to gather her in his arms, rubbing her back gently.

“It’ll be OK, Rosie. You’ve been through so much today, but I’m here, I’m not going anywhere. Let’s get you cleaned up a little and get you to bed. Alright?”

He felt her whole body shudder as he helped her to her feet, moving her slowly towards the sink to grab a washcloth, running it under the warm water. She whimpered when he went to turn her toward the mirror, visibly flinching away.

“Easy, Rosie, it’s ok.” He turned so her back was to the sink and mirror, ducking down to wipe gently at the gunpowder and blood that still peppered her face. He had to rinse the cloth a few times to get it all off, the residue sprinkled across her neck. Even Rosie’s hair felt grainy, but Axl figured that was a problem for tomorrow.

Finally satisfied, he handed her some tissues, helping her out and towards his bedroom.

“I thought…maybe you’d like company tonight?” Feeling her nod against his side, he kissed her forehead, letting go of her only to turn down the sheets.

“I’m afraid we’ll be up pretty early, gotta long drive ahead of us now. You’ll be able to rest on the bus though, actually get to try one of those bunks, see if it’s as awesome as you thought.”

He patted her back gently as she turned and sat down, slipping off her shoes and out of her jeans, leaving them crumpled on the floor.

“I’m just gonna get ready, I’ll be back in a minute.”

She sniffed and nodded again, rolling over slowly, turning towards his side of the bed. He tucked her in and got himself together, answering a few texts and setting an alarm as he settled in.

Rosie curled up against him immediately, still shaking as she gripped his t-shirt, heavy, ragged breaths racking her body. Axl just held her, rubbing her back slowly, deep voice whispering soothingly as he waited for the emotions she’d been holding back to finally run out.

It took her a while, and it hit him how different the previous night had been, when they’d separated, Rosie taking the smaller bedroom the suite offered. He thought she’d seemed a little reluctant; he certainly had been, though he believed he’d hid it well.

He’d spent decades alone, managing long, quiet nights with something like calm acceptance. Nothing had prepared him for how utterly alone he felt without Rosie tucked into his side, her soft presence warm and comforting, filling a void he’d worked years to keep subdued.

Having her here now, willing reaching for him, freely showing pain she’d kept at bay since she’d been wounded, feeling how much that meant to him, shook him to the core. He flashed for a moment on this afternoon, hearing the shot, seeing her blood spray back as she fell on the gunman, and his own chest clenched again, breathing turning rapid as he thought about how close he’d come to losing her, unconsciously holding her tighter.

A warm hand cupped his cheek, sliding up to rub one temple, move slowly across his forehead to rub the other. He felt Rosie slide her head back to glance up at him.

“Axl, are…are you alright?”

He forced himself to relax, blinking at unexpected tears, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m fine, Rosie. No worries, sweet lady.”

Taking a deep breath and exhaling with slow deliberation, he rubbed her shoulder lightly.

“How about you? Do you feel a little better now?”

She nodded, head rubbing against his shoulder as she sniffled, her wandering hand sliding back around to curl against his jaw, thumb rubbing it absently. Fighting the sudden desire to lean into it, he took another slow breath, her touch so reassuring it nearly broke through his hard-won calm.

_Dear god, he was totally fucked._


	5. Reach for the sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the road again...Rosie sings for the band.

Rose N Bud 5 – Reach for the Sun

……………………………………

Warnings: none

………………………………

The alarm blared out a heavy disco beat, and Axl groaned, letting go of Rosie to roll over and slap it quiet. Rosie grumbled, still half asleep, shifting on to her back and rubbing her face.

“Did I really just hear Right Said Fred?”

“What, am I too sexy for you?”

“At this ugly, cow-milking hour, nobody’s sexy.”

Axl’s deep chuckle filled the dim room.

“I dunno nice lady, you’re looking pretty good over there.”

Rosie just grumbled again, ruffling her hair. “You must need glasses. I feel like desert roadkill, everything’s gritty and hurts like hell.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, you have time for a shower.”

Rosie gave a quiet hum, pausing to consider, then rolled over and up, hissing softly. Turning on the bedside lamp, Axl sat up too.

“Need any help?”

Rosie turned her head slowly, glancing over her good shoulder. He gave her a charming smile, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Her eyebrows shot up then down as her eyes closed, her shoulders shaking for a moment in laughter.

“Ow. Dammit, don’t make me laugh!”

“Too late, told you I’m too sexy.”

“You are lucky I hurt too much to beat you to death with my pillow.”

“Feathers, ooh baby. What can I do to get you to use the whole chicken?”

Rosie sputtered, shaking merrily again as she moved gingerly to get up. “Definitely too early in the morning for any of that.”

Walking over to the bedroom door, she turned the knob.

“Ah, Rosie?”

She opened the door to the common area. “Hmm?”

“Good morning, sunshine!”

“Hey, isn’t that Axl’s shirt?”

Rosie squawked, slamming the door shut again.

“God fucking dammit, why didn’t you tell me they were out there? I don’t even have pants!”

Axl had the grace to look a little sheepish, but only just.

“I was about to, you just got to the door before I could say anything. I swear!”

He stood and walked over to where she leaned against the wall, face hidden in her hands. Rubbing her good arm gently, he sighed.

“I’m sorry, Rosie.”

She relaxed a little, tilting her head his direction. “It’s ok, I guess.” She sighed. “I’m just not that comfortable with them as I am with you.”

“They haven’t tried anything, have they?”

“No! No. Just, the way they talk makes me nervous? I’m not used to being the center of that kind of attention.”

“Little rusty on the friendly flirting?”

“Is that what it’s called? Less rusty, more completely unaccustomed.”

“I find that hard to believe. I’m sure you had plenty of guys chasing you.” Axl smiled warmly, but Rosie shook her head.

“If they did, I certainly never paid it any mind. I got married very early, Axl, and I wasn’t one to stray. I don’t think I’ve had this much attention since I was fourteen.”

Axl’s eyebrows shot up, his eyes glinting brightly. “You really are too sweet. What’re you doing with us old, jaded types again?”

Rosie snorted. “I dunno. Some asshole keeps extending my invite.”

“That’s ‘Axl’.”

“I heard no difference.”

He laughed, patting her arm gently and turning to open the door again.

“Ah…aren’t you going to put on pants?”

“Really? Why start now?”

Duff and Slash were lounging on the sofa wearing matching grins as Axl walked out, making his way towards the room Rosie had used the first night. Duff tracked his movements, eyebrow arched in humor.

“So, I hope you gave our heroine a proper thank you. Or do we have to make up for your …shortcomings?”

Axl shot him a finger as he emerged from the smaller bedroom, Rosie’s backpack in hand. Coming up behind the two guitarists, he dropped the bag, laying his hands on the backs of their necks.

“Alright fuckers” he growled, keeping his voice low. “She’s had a really rough night, and there isn’t a one of us, security included, that was as fast to sacrifice themselves as she did without a moment’s hesitation. So, stop. Giving. Her. Shit.”

Axl’s fingers gripped in emphasis of his words. Slash was on the receiving end of a fairly baleful glare, and he held up his hands in supplication, easy grin back on his full lips despite the weight of Axl’s hand.

“Chill, man. You know we’re only teasing.”

“Yeah, I know. And I’m telling you to tone it down, jackass.”

Slash lowered the glasses he had on even at this early hour, matching Axl’s stormy glare with a measured look, eyebrows tilting and smile growing the longer their gaze held.

“You didn’t get any yet. I’d stake a guitar on it.”

Axl growled, but the wild-haired man just grinned wide, smacking Duff on the arm, the blonde giving a grunt and a curse.

“What the hell?”

“Six months man. A wedding…or a funeral. You in?”

Duff glared at him a moment, then smirked. “There an over-under?”

Axl stood back up, smacking both men on the backs of their heads. Hefting Rosie’s bag he headed back for the bedroom.

“Rosie better not catch wind of your fucking betting pool.”

“Don’t worry, Ax. We’ve got a separate one for that.”

Flipping Slash off one more time, Axl shot over his shoulder. “At least make yourselves useful. Get Doc up here to check on Rosie.”

The shower was running, shutting off just as he closed the door. Knocking at the bathroom, he called in. “Rosie! I’m gonna put your bag inside the door.”

“Thanks!”

Opening the door a crack, he slid his arm in, just enough to drop the bag on the other side, out of the way. Movement in the mirror drew his eye, and he caught a glimpse of a dark, angry bruise staining Rosie’s shoulder purple, easily larger than his hand. The wound itself looked bright and raw. He closed the door quietly, getting himself ready even as he heard the her doing the same.

She came out a few moments later, wearing his shirt again, though she’d buttoned it wrong so it hung off her shoulder, exposing the wound to the air. Axl was about to say something when a knock came at the door.

“Doc’s here. Come on out, lovebirds.” Rosie colored, but Axl just rolled his eyes.

“Don’t pay that jackass any mind, Rosie. It’ll be ok.”

He opened the door as she bent to pick up her bag.

“Just leave it. I’ll get it later when we head out.”

Walking out behind her, he leveled a death glare at his friends, but he needn’t have bothered. Both of them were quiet, eyes glued on her shoulder, and she shifted uncomfortably under their gaze.

Doc stepped up, the older man giving Rosie a friendly smile. “Hey there sweetie.” He leaned in in a feigned hush. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this, people will start to talk.”

Rosie giggled. “They do little else.”

“Too true, little lady. Now, have a seat and let’s get you patched back up. I may have to get to a little more of ya to do it proper. You want me to send these apes packin’?”

“No... It’s fine.”

He got her bandaged up quickly, his eyes narrowing when she hissed pulling the shirt back up over her shoulder.

“You takin’ the meds the hospital gave you?”

“The antibiotic, yeah.”

Doc frowned. “I know you got pain meds, Rosie. Why aren’t you takin’ them?”

Rosie dropped her gaze away from his stern look. “I don’t like how it makes me feel. I just get all cottony and trapped in my head. I’d rather stick with regular stuff. I promise I’ll have some with breakfast.”

Doc grumbled, kneeling in front of her to make her look him in the eye.

“It’s alright to take help when you need it, little lady. Even if it’s just to ease your pain.”

Her smile was anything but happy as she stared back at him. “They’re not what I need, Doc. And they really don’t work that well for me. I appreciate your words, though.”

Sighing, Doc patted her knee as he stood up, turning towards Axl.

“Keep an eye on this one – she’s tougher than she looks, but she’s also not gonna say when she’s at her limit. I don’t want an ambulance pacing us to be my first notice she’s tipped over.”

Axl smirked. “Tell me something I don’t know. We’ve got a few days on the road so it won’t be too hard to make sure she rests up.”

Rosie glared at both of them. “’She’ is sitting right here, you know. Rude ass men.”

The entire group started laughing as she looked around, clearly unamused.

“Why don’t y’all come a little closer, then we’ll see who’s laughing.”

Axl snorted. “Not on your life. I can still feel the pummeling you gave me a few nights ago.”

“So glad I made a lasting impression.”

“Made an impression? Lady, you almost made me a permanent soprano!”

Doc took that as his signal to leave, as Duff and Slash teased Axl. The redhead gave as good as he got though, and Rosie was shaking with restrained laughter by the time the exchange wound down.

“Well, about time we hit the road.” Duff chuckled, standing up. “How about you, Rosie? You coming too?”

She looked up at the tall blonde, eyebrows knitted in concern. “Axl extended my invite, and I thought I would accept. If that’s alright with you?”

She glanced at Slash, tilting her head to include him as well.

“You’re more than welcome to stay, as long as you like, Rosie.” Duff knelt down, taking her good hand as Slash came to crouch by her other side. “Nothing we can do would repay you for your courage yesterday. Your quick action kept anyone else from being injured, or worse.”

“Yeah, and you kept this asshole from biting the big one.”

“That’s ‘Axl’, fucker.”

The banter kept Rosie from breaking down, though her eyes were bright from Duff’s kind words.

“We’ll see you two at the bus. Don’t be late now.”

Duff leaned in as he stood, Slash doing the same, the both of them planting warm kisses on Rosie’s now flaming cheeks. Smirking at the shocked look on her face, the two took their leave.

Axl just rolled his eyes at the pair’s antics, placing a light hand on Rosie’s good shoulder. She sat quietly, hands twisting around each other in her lap.

“You OK there, nice lady? We gotta head out soon.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.” She wiped at her face, voice soft and rough.

“I’ve gotta get my shit together. I’ll just be a minute.”

When he came back out of the bedroom with all the bags, Rosie was standing, smoothing the ends of the shirt out after rebuttoning it. He opened the door, and she turned away for a moment, picking the rose up out of the glass he’d put it in to carry with her. With a smile and a nod, he followed her out of the room.

………………………………..

The caravan of buses was waiting for them, people milling about stowing the last bits of gear. Security staff wandered around, checking doors and keeping an eye on the exit ramp.

The applause started as soon as they were close, and Rosie turned a confused look to a smiling Axl, who began clapping as well. As musicians and crew gathered around her, she looked like a deer caught in headlights, ready to run.

Axl took her hands in his, chafing them gently. “Rosie, we all wanted to thank you for your bravery and selflessness yesterday. We, and the fans, owe the rest of this tour…hell, our very lives, to you.”

Tears were tracking down Rosie’s cheeks, and she wasn’t the only one in the crowd sniffling. Wiping her face again, she looked around at the crowd of people, all smiling her way.

“I…I don’t even know what to say. You really didn’t need to make such a fuss over this. I’m just glad you’re all OK.”

“More than OK, Rosie, thanks to you.” Melissa pulled her into a very gentle hug. As if on cue, most of the crowd moved in, giving light hugs or clasping her hands carefully, thanking her for her courage.

Axl watched quietly for a while, smile bright, before cupping his hands around his mouth to shout over the milling group.

“Alright folks! We got places to be! Rosie will be with us for a while, everyone will have a chance to say hi and get to know her. Let’s roll!”

Within minutes, everyone boarded up and the buses were on their way. There was a full breakfast laid out on the common area table, and the musicians all piled into the chairs and booth, ladling out food and jostling each other. Axl guided Rosie over, sitting her next to Mel as they slid into the open end of the booth.

Things got quiet for a bit as everyone dug in, passing around plates and drinks, occasionally chatting about the tour and the next city. Dizzy was wiping at his mustache as he looked over at Rosie.

“I don’t know if Axl told you, but the shooter’s gonna be behind bars for like, the rest of his life. Now that he’s out of the hospital, that is.”

Rosie turned a questioning look his way, while Axl gave him a dark look from over her shoulder. “I haven’t really heard anything about it, I just gave my statement to the police shortly after I got treated. Axl said the lawyers would handle the rest of it. Why would he be in the hospital?”

“You don’t remember? You practically tore half his face off with your teeth. It was OW! What?!” Dizzy rubbed his shin where Mel had kicked him hard.

Rosie was looking very pale, breath turning shallow. Axl put a light hand on her cheek, turning her his way as he pulled her close, rubbing her back gently.

Feeling Rosie tremble next to her, Mel turned a black look Dizzy’s way, hissing at him. “Great job, asshole. I can’t believe you!”

“Sorry! Fuck, I didn’t mean anything, I thought it was badass.”

Rich elbowed him. “Not cool, man. Save it for later, maybe, yeah?”

“Alright! Sorry, Rosie I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. Your singing was really banging though.”

“That is true.” Frank added. “That was a hella deep growl to come outta someone channeling June Cleaver. You actually got organs in there, or are you all lung?”

Rosie stilled, then pulled away from Axl’s shoulder to give Frank a bewildered look. “What did you say? I’m trying real hard not to be offended here.”

“What? She was nice.” His deep laugh was joined by several others as Rosie gave a clearly exaggerated frown. Axl flashed him a grateful smile, trying to hide a chuckle of his own.

“I don’t look anything like some hopped up fifties fantasy wife! That’s terrible!”

“I dunno, Morticia was always my idea of a fantasy wife.”

“Oohh, smooth.” Duff chuckled, bumping fists with Rich.

Rosie arched an eyebrow with a ghost of a smile. “That’s a comparison I’d take.”

“You’re kidding, you’re like, the exact opposite of Morticia!” Rich laughed outright, Frank’s low chuckle joining him.

Rosie’s eyes flashed. “Morticia had a much better family life than any of those plastic, picture perfect Barbie dolls. As did I.”

“I dunno ‘bout that, I just don’t see it.”

Rosie just blinked and gave Rich an unfriendly grin. “Nor are you ever likely to.”

“Ooh, I dunno, Rich, but I think you just got burned.”

“If you say so.” Rich shrugged, then turned a wicked smile Rosie’s way. “One thing I could see though, little rowdy Rosie. Sing us something else, I’ll even give you back up.”

Rosie just gave Rich a blank stare. “What?”

“Sing something else. We’ll give you back up, whatever you need. I know you can, no foolin’ us anymore.”

Rosie sat quietly for a moment, forehead furrowing. Turning to Axl, she took one of his hands in hers. “This is your band. Is this really OK? You would be alright with it?”

There were soft chuckles all around the table as Axl gave Rosie a soft smile, pulling her hands up to kiss her knuckles. “It’s a kinda funny thing about musicians, Rosie. There really is no ‘off’ button. Sharing music, playing together, this is how we get to know one another, how we communicate, how we learn to work and live together. I want to hear you as much as they do.”

Rosie blushed, glancing away from his kind gaze. “Well, now I really am nervous. I’m not even sure what you’d see…or hear? I’m gonna feel like I’m trying to speak a foreign language, really poorly.”

Axl tilted his head. “That’s not a bad analogy. Try not to worry about it though. We’ll take it slow. And maybe you’ll pick things up along the way.”

Mel rubbed Rosie’s good shoulder. “Don’t worry, sis. We gotcha. And if any of these apes gets uppity, I’ll take care of ‘em for ya.”

Rose dipped her head, giving Mel a bright smile. “Thank you.” Shaking her head, she glanced around the table. “Thank you all. It’s very kind of you to include me like this. You know you really don’t have to.”

“We want to.” Duff broke in. “Not to call you fresh meat, but you kind of are, and it’s a good thing. I love ‘Come together’ but it’s been years since I tried running it. That kind of thing helps us get out of our own ruts. So…whatcha wanna do this time?”

“Hmmm…Blue Bayou?”

There were blank looks as Rosie glanced around at everyone, till she looked up at Axl’s incredulous eyes, his shoulders starting to shake in restrained mirth. Losing her façade, her wild snort set them both into a giggling fit. 

Coming up for air, they met mildly amused glances. “What? It could be the next hot cover, just fit it in the set right after ‘Used to love her’. Axl coughed out a laugh, but the rest gave her odd looks.

“I think we’re the only ones that remember that song.” He patted her arm consolingly.

“That so? Now I have to sing it. Not right now, I’ll just spring it unexpected-like some time.”

“So…what’ll it really be?”

Sighing, Rosie turned thoughtful. “Staind, maybe? ‘Something to remember’? Can you do that? I don’t know if it needs the whole orchestra though.”

“Ooooh, we’re an orchestra. Hear that, Frank?” Rich elbowed the drummer, who gave out a surprised ‘oof’, swatting his bandmate back in retaliation.

Slash broke in, getting her attention before the other two could get carried away. “We can run it either way, but you’re thinking more the acoustic version, yeah?”

Rosie nodded. “That’s the one I like, yes.”

He flashed a bright smile. “Gotcha covered, sweet lady. Let’s take this to the back.” He waggled his eyebrows, his grin growing wider when Rosie rolled her eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere alone with you.”

“Oh, we won’t be alone. We’ll have a whole audience.”

Slash wasn’t the only one laughing as Rosie blushed. Axl patted her hand again as the guitarist got up.

“Easy there, Rosie. We know this is new to you, and despite the way these idiots are behaving we really are happy to have you join in and make music with us. Remember, Mel and I are here for you.”

“Hey, don’t make it sound like we’ve got it out for her, old man. We’re all on her side, just some of us are a little blunt about how they express it.”

Rosie snorted, rolling her eyes as she got up out of the booth. “I think the word you’re looking for is ‘crude’.”

The group moved to back of the bus, where the small open space had been set up with a few keyboards and an electric drum kit. Slash came slipping down the stairwell, cradling a double necked guitar.

Rosie looked at it curiously, and Slash grinned wickedly as he threw the strap over his head, settling the instrument low across his belly. “You wanna touch it?”

Amidst general laughter, Rosie just shook her head, smirking. “I don’t know, beastie. I’m not sure where it’s been.”

“Hey, no dissing my guitars!” he stroked the body gently. “They’re sensitive instruments.”

“I’m so sorry. You two need a moment?”

Slash flashed another grin. “Nah, lady. Just warming her up for ya.” His fingers went to the upper neck, pick strumming across the hollow body.

He started picking out the intro, the pensive sound filling the space. On the repeat, Rosie bowed her head, face flushing as she took a breath and joined in, voice low but steady, her eyes closing as the music carried her.

The sweetness she usually wore slipped away, face shifting, brow furrowing as her clear voice thrummed with desolation, hands twisting around each other. Axl and Duff shared glances, the rest of the band watching Rosie quietly.

She opened her eyes as the song ended, giving Slash a pale smile. He returned it in spades, and hers grew warmer, cheeks pinking as her eyes dropped away from his focused gaze.

“That was good, babe. I know we’re not your favorite band, but how ‘bout you give one of our songs a go?”

There were murmurs of encouragement as she looked up, startled. She shook her head, shrugging uncomfortably.

“I’m not really made for singing most of your songs…I don’t really...” Her face scrunched uncomfortably, nose wrinkling. “…know how to scream…”

Slash snorted, and she favored him with eyes narrowed in a withering glare. “When I sing.”

He grinned and put his hands up in supplication.

Chuckling at the amusement coming from the band, Axl stepped up. “It’s ok, Rosie. It’s a technique that’s tough to learn, and it’s easy to damage yourself if you’re not careful. I’m sure there’s something in our catalog you can do?”

She ducked her head a little. “I do like ‘Estranged’.”

Axl chuckled. “Go big or go home, eh? Nice. I think we can manage that.”

Everyone started moving, getting in to place, Dizzy yielding to Axl on one keyboard while Mel got herself settled in at the other. Axl smiled reassuringly at Rosie once everyone was ready.

“You need the lyrics, nice lady?”

She shook her head. “I know them.”

“Aww…and here I thought we weren’t your favorites.” Slash teased.

She gave him a cool look that hid amusement poorly behind a highly arched eyebrow. “Not the only one, anyway.”

“You hear that, Ax? Guess we’re just another notch on Rosie’s belt.”

“Shut it, fucker.” Axl tossed back through a bright smile. “Ready, Rosie?”

She gave him a sly look, and he startled for a moment.

“Long as I don’t have to change into white spandex shorts.”

Dizzy and Duff sputtered as Axl’s eyebrows nearly hit his hairline, his eyes sparkling with sudden mischief.

“Maybe you should.”

She shook her head, biting her bottom lip as a flush blossomed on her cheeks again. “Oh, no. I’m quite sure I couldn’t possibly do them the same, ah…justice.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” He winked when Rosie smiled at him, and her blush deepened, hands curling together. With a smirk, Axl rolled his fingers up the keyboard, and Rosie startled, glancing at him.

Starting the intro, he lifted his eyebrows and tilted his head. She took a shaky breath but nodded back, and the band got underway.

She kept to the lower register, voice firmly in her chest. Years of familiarity let Axl watch her while he played, that soul-aching pain returning as she sang, etching onto her face, evident in the way her body curled, flowing out of her to turn the song mournful.

Axl caught Slash’s amazed glance when she dropped into the lowest notes of the song, vibrato coming through clearly. In turn, she was fascinated at the plaintive sounds Slash pulled from his guitar, and nearly missed the next verse, starting softly but quickly catching up. Surprising them all, Rosie nailed the high note cleanly with a sweet falsetto before sliding down the scale to end the song.

Standing abruptly, the stool tipped from under Axl, the sound of it falling cushioned by the carpet. Axl started clapping, the rest joining in, Rosie’s smile shy but happy.

Mel piped up over the ruckus. “Rosie! That was great, girl! Got anything a little more upbeat on your setlist?”

Rosie just shrugged as the others quieted down. “I dunno. I guess melancholy is more my setting. Let me look over some stuff a minute.”

Pulling out her phone, she poked and scrolled for a few moments before a smile came to her face. “I don’t suppose y’all know ‘I’m the only one’ by Melissa Etheridge?”

“Nah, but hum a few bars and we’ll fake it.” Slash laughed, coming up behind her to look at the song. “Hook up to the bluetooth and play it through, I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to pick it up.”

She tapped a few things, finally hitting play. Slash nodded as the song came on, fingers automatically ghosting over his strings, Duff and Rich doing the same as Melissa stepped back to lean against the bus window, head tilting as she listened.

“You’re really ok with me just picking random songs for you to play?”

Duff sidled up, glancing down at Rosie with a smirk. “It’s good practice, gets us stretching out with something we’d never think of. Not playing Linda Ronstadt though.”

She laughed. “Pussy.”

“Ooo, Rosie’s got a mouth.”

“Yeah, I do, beastie.”

“What else that mouth do?”

“You wanna end up like yesterday’s guy? Come on over and find out.”

“Pretty sure that’s not what Slash has in mind when he says ‘Eat Me’.” Everyone dissolved in laughter at Frank’s dig, Slash grinning and shaking his head enough to set his wild hair floating.

Duff started picking out the opening. Slash and Rich joined him and they jammed along for a few moments, watching each other and nodding before stopping.

“Alright, Rosie. We’re good. Let her rip.”

Duff ground out the intro again, the others sliding in. Rosie started singing, quieter this time, her low growl barely registering above the guitars.

Axl stepped in front of her, hands up. She stopped, cheeks flaming as she straightened up.

“Easy, Rosie, it’s alright. You’re holding yourself back, is all. Do you know why?”

She had a hard time meeting his eyes as she shook her head. “I…don’t know if I feel this the way I do the other songs? I do really like it though.”

Putting a hand on her good shoulder, he gave her a thoughtful look. “Maybe later you’d let me walk you through some of the practices I do for my voice? We can give it go, see how far it gets you. Deal?”

Her smile was full of warmth this time. “Deal. That would be really amazing.”

“Great. Now, try it once more from the top, and give it all you’ve got.”

Rosie rolled her eyes as Axl chuckled, patting her shoulder gently and stepping back. Duff swung in, leaning down to whisper in Rosie’s ear. “Focus on Axl like he’s the guy in the song. Here he is, saying he wants to run around, and you’re gonna let him know what he’s missing. Make him sorry, Rosie.”

She looked up, startled look turning thoughtful, a downright wicked smile blooming. Duff returned it with a smirk of his own. “Knock him flat, lady.”

She dipped her head in thanks, eyes bright with mischief as she turned back to the one-man audience. With a nod to the others, Duff began again.

Rosie took a deep steadying breath, fixing her gaze on Axl. He seemed amused by her focus, but his smile slipped away as her voice turned passionate and dismissive in turns.

Pinning Axl with a fierce glare, Rosie was like a different person, the rare glimpses of fire she’d shown now in full display. Bracketing her, Duff and Slash exchanged amused glances as they watched their friend practically squirm at the force of the emotions she projected at him.

Together, they pushed Rosie with tone and volume till her singing rose above their instruments, then dropped away at the last minute so that her voice rang hard and heavy through the small area as the last verse ended.

Still staring at Axl as she finished, Rosie panted quietly, face slowly softening. Blinking, she finally noticed his almost awestruck look, and broke into a sunny smile.

Above her, Duff winked at Slash, mouthing “A month, tops.” Slash flashed him a finger, grinning all the while.

Returning Rosie’s smile with a bright one of his own, Axl came in to give her a big hug, mindful of her shoulder. Beaming down, he shook his head in amazement.

“That was wild, pretty lady! I knew you could do it. Let’s get some tea and honey in ya, keep those fantastic pipes ready for another round.”

He led her off, Duff moving to the center to take over. “Any requests, Rosie?”

She turned back, head tilted. “Civil War’ is always good, but would you ever consider doing a cover of ‘Presidential Rag’?”

Duff frowned, turning around to look at the others, who seemed equally perplexed. He pulled out his own phone to look it up, eyebrows shooting up as the folk song played over the speakers.

Axl had turned back as well, brows knitting as he listened. He gave Duff a questioning look.

“That’d need a whole arrangement to match our sound.”

Slash nodded. “Sure would. I kinda like it though.”

Axl grinned at the group. “Why don’t you play around with it. I’ll be back in a few.”

Duff nodded absently, already picking out a rhythm that Frank picked up.

Starting up the teakettle, Axl grinned at Rosie. “That was a great suggestion, Rosie. Almost too bad it’s so fucking timely. Thanks.”

She beamed at the praise, and his smile softened. Doctoring up steaming mugs of tea, they went and sat back down in the booth, pushing aside breakfast plates, Rosie grimacing as her movements pulled at her sore shoulder.

“How’re you feeling, Rosie?”

“I’m ok.”

Axl’s brow furrowed slightly at her remark.

“You did really well, I think you might be surprised how far you could get if you really wanted.”

She just shook her head. “I appreciate that, Axl, it really means a lot coming from you. But it’s really not the lifestyle for me.”

Feeling his heart clench, Axl kept his face carefully neutral.

“Is there anything that’d make you reconsider? You seem to be enjoying yourself now.”

Glancing up from her tea, Rosie met Axl’s concerned look briefly, face falling as she turned away to watch the cars on the highway.

“I am, it’s been a wonderful experience, but I’ll never be one for being out in front of it all. My part in this will be done, sooner or later.”

“You could keep rolling with us through the end of the tour. You’d be more than welcome.”

Rosie grimaced, still watching the road. “As what? Some kind of lonely ghost haunting all you bright and vibrant people? What good to have someone so useless hanging around.”

There was an ache in her words that cut him to shreds.

“Rosie” he whispered; voice suddenly hoarse despite the tea. “You’re not a ghost…I…we, would never see you that way.”

He reached out, brushing a strand of her hair back with a feather-light touch.

“You’re a friend, Rosie. You could never be useless, even if you hadn’t done what you did yesterday. You just fit with us. Can’t you see it?”

She glanced at his earnest face for only a moment before lowering her head, pulling her legs up under her.

“Still being kind, I see.” Her voice was soft as she laid her chin on her knees. “I’m afraid your reputation will never recover.”

Axl moved closer, sliding a gentle hand to rub at her back. “Rosie.”

Sighing, she let him pull her close, curling against his chest.

They sat for a while, the sounds of rehearsal fading to the background as the long night caught up with them, bright sun streaming through the window leaving them comfortably warm. Feeling Rosie’s breath even out as she relaxed against him, he kissed her temple.

“Maybe I don’t want it to.”


	6. Frost Warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another city, another concert. Things finally seem to be going well, but Axl isn’t entirely convinced…

A stifled giggle and a faint click broke Axl out of his light doze, and he cracked an eyelid, rolling it to the side to glare at the cause of the disturbance. Mel stood just barely in the line of his side-eye, hand over her mouth not even coming close to hiding her amusement.

Rosie had curled into him during their nap, one leg resting on top of his, arm draped across his chest, head nestled in the crook of his neck. His shirt was bunched up where she clutched it, her breath warm against his throat.

There was another faint click, and Axl turned his head more towards Mel, realizing she was taking pictures of the pair. Glaring, he gave her a one-fingered salute with the hand not pinned under Rosie, and she snickered, flashing a bright smile and a thumbs up as she lowered the phone and bounced away.

With a sigh, he rubbed gently at Rosie’s shoulder.

“Alright, nice lady. Nap time’s over.”

Rosie took a deep breath, slowly lifting her head and blinking at him owlishly. She stretched a little, the feel of her body moving against his side, her leg sliding down his, made him suck in a breath, humming a little in the back of his throat, smile growing sharper for a moment.

She seemed oblivious to the effect, smiling back sleepily. Releasing his shirt to brush a hand gently over his chest, she levered herself upright, fingers drifting up to push loose hair out of her face.

“You can go upstairs if you want, get some more rest. We’re not gonna be doing much but messing around with that tune, maybe some more practicing. You know, like paint drying but with a good soundtrack.”

Rosie snorted as he playfully tossed her words back at her. She looked about to retort, till a jaw-cracking yawn got the best of her.

“Take any bed up there that doesn’t already have junk on it. I think we’ll be stopping in a few hours to gas up and get some take out. We don’t usually get off the bus though – the roadies handle the orders, elsewise we’d get mobbed or wind up with a train of followers.”

Rosie nodded, patting his shoulder as she made her slightly groggy way around the table and towards the stairs. Axl turned to watch her walk away, slowly rising himself to head to the back, Slash greeting him with a shit-eating grin.

“You have a good nap, old man? Where’s your little cuddle buddy?”

“Eh, fuck you.”

“Not sure I’m the one you really want…” Slash mimed a fuller chest and hips, eyes bright with humor.

Axl rolled his eyes skyward. “Fuck entirely off, Slash, and apologize to Mel while you’re at it. Duff, Rich, what ya got so far?”

………………………..

Day and night on the bus ran together, the group flowing loosely between the practice space, the eating area up front, and the upstairs to nap as the convoy rolled on. Rosie spent time with Mel, the younger musician enjoying female company while she showed her new friend the depth the synths added to the songs.

One hazy pre-dawn morning as the bus rolled quietly along the highway, Rosie woke, disturbed by the buzz of a phone. Someone started muttering softly, a bed rustled and curtain clicked as it slid open, footsteps were moving past her then padding down the stairs.

She waited a few moments, laying back and closing her eyes, but sleep eluded her. Sighing, she got up, stepping quietly down the stairwell to see Axl plopping down in the sitting area with a grunt, phone to his ear, other hand ruffling his short, red hair into a wild mess.

“Yeah…I know, but it’s worked out so far. What? Nah, nothing like that…I don’t care what you’ve heard…or seen… It’s fine, really. She’s just a fan, that’s all. No jackass, there’s nothing more to it… You’re kidding, right? Fuck you, of course there won’t be any issues, that’s the whole point, dickhead… Yeah, sure you were. Alright, that’s enough. You’re supposed to be the one keeping things quiet, not fanning the flames of the rumor mill… Whatever, I’m going back to sleep. ‘Bye.”

Rosie stood frozen; one hand gripping white-knuckled on the cabinet nearby. When Axl stood with a sigh she jumped like a frightened rabbit, racing back up to her bunk and slipping in as quietly as she could, entirely missing Duff peering out from his space across from her, expression thoughtful.

Duff watched as Axl came back up, walking slowly past them with a tired sigh before climbing into his own bed and pulling the drape, the sound of him settling in turning quickly to muffled snoring. Duff waited, sliding his own curtain open quietly, rolling to sit on the edge of the bed, listening carefully as Rosie’s breathing hitched in ragged rhythm.

……………………………………..

They rolled into the next town well after dark, with showtime the next evening.

Axl had again requested a double suite, riding with the rest of the band to the top floor and guiding a seemingly tired and quiet Rosie to their entrance. It was late, and he went eagerly to the door of the larger bedroom, opening it and turning with a bright smile, only to see the door to the smaller room close as Rosie disappeared inside.

He stood, mouth agape, shoulders falling slowly, finally sighing and turning in, the door snicking shut behind him sounding far too loud in the quiet space. Leaning against it, he ruffled his short curls, glancing around the large and empty room before shuffling off to the on-suite to get ready for bed.

………………………………….

It was crawling towards noon when Rosie finally emerged, fully dressed, heading straight to the bathroom without even a glance at the gang now sitting around the large and well-picked over breakfast table. Duff could see her eyes were puffy despite her freshly scrubbed face as she sat down opposite him.

“Hey there, sleepyhead. Thought you were fixing to sleep the clock around.”

Axl brightened visibly as she sat next to him in the only open chair, pouring her a cup of coffee, deflating almost as quickly as she flashed a pale smile, barely glancing his way. He threw an arm over the back of her seat, but Rosie didn’t seem to notice as she sat quietly, pulled in on herself.

“You feeling ok, Rosie? Should we get Doc up here?”

Shaking her head, she took a sip of her drink before answering, her voice low and a bit rough. “No, really. I’m fine. I looked at the wound already. It’s fine.”

“You have allergies or something?” Duff interjected, and Rosie stared at him, face blank. She blinked slowly, and shrugged, eyes falling away as she took another drink of coffee.

Axl frowned, watching the interchange, glancing at Duff when Rosie looked away. Duff just twitched an eyebrow, head tilting slightly Rosie’s way before he took a swig of his own beverage.

Axl watched Rosie nurse her coffee. He perked up suddenly, leaning closer.

“How about we work on your voice practice today? I’ve got to warm up anyway. I’ll be using one of the backstage rooms while the rest of the gang hits the main stage, so we’ll be able to hear ourselves over these noisy bastards.”

“Maybe a little later, ok? You go ahead though.”

He deflated again, covering it quickly with a soft smile as he rubbed Rosie’s good shoulder.

“Alright nice lady, no pressure. Come see me whenever you’re ready.”

“Yeah, ready to hear an old man make funny noises.”

“Fucker.” Axl slugged Slash with a grateful grin. “If she wants that she can stay on stage with you.”

Rich nearly snorted in his coffee, Mel patting Slash’s other shoulder in commiseration, though she winked at Axl. Duff stood abruptly, motioning to Frank.

“Day’s not getting any earlier, might as well head to the bus and hit the stage, get down to business.”

The two left the table, Rich and Mel rising to follow. Mel cast a soft look at Rosie, head tilted and blue ponytail swinging.

“You wanna come with me, Rosie? I could show you some more of how the synth works.”

Rosie smiled back, though it made her look more frail than cheerful. “Thank you, I’d like that.”

The ladies left together, Mel waving her hands wildly as she described the sounds and effects she used for the shows. Axl and Slash were left at the table, the singer staring into his tea quietly.

“Hey old man, whatcha thinking so hard about?”

Axl huffed out a deep sigh, brushing his short hair back needlessly. “I don’t know, Slasher. Just, does Rosie seem alright?”

Slash clapped his friend on the shoulder, giving him a friendly push as he scraped his chair back.

“Eh, relax man. Ladies get moody all the time. Don’t get your panties in a bunch just ‘cause hers are.”

Standing up, Axl tossed Slash a sour look. “Why do I even bother asking you for advice.”

Slash just smiled and shrugged, moving to the door. “My years of experience, of course. Could always get her some chocolate or some shit like that. Always seems to make ‘em smile.”

Axl hummed thoughtfully, pulling out his phone to fire off a few texts before heading down to the bus.

………………………………….

Pulling into the stadium, the band grabbed their stuff, ready to head in and get to practicing. Duff picked up a couple of bags, slinging the larger one over his shoulder.

Rosie cocked her head watching him, coming up as the bus pulled into the dock.

“I could help?”

The tall blonde smirked down at Rosie. “Axl would be pretty pissed at me if he saw you carrying my stuff, little lady, and so would my wife. Especially with your injury. Thanks for asking though.”

Rosie huffed. “I’m not exactly an invalid, you know.”

Duff patted her head. “I know. But the answer’s still no.”

They stepped down off the bus, heading up the ramps that lead to the main stage. Rosie was falling behind as Duff and Frank made long strides. Slash gave her a friendly wave as he walked past.

“Try and keep up now, Rosie.”

“Eh fuck it. Y’all can walk with me or wait for me. There’s no way I can keep up with a damn thirty-six-inch inseam.”

Duff stopped and turned, grinning. “How do you know my inseam?”

Rosie snorted. “Mine’s thirty, and so was my husband’s. I know what six inches looks like.”

Duff barked out a laugh. “My condolences.” Everyone started snickering.

Rosie paused, blinking, then her eyes went wide. She snorted dryly.

“Guess I walked into that one.”

Duff grinned wolfishly. “That’s what she said.”

Rosie nearly choked. “Oh my god.”

Slash piped up, winking and flashing a wide smile. “She said that too.”

A garbled wheeze bubbled out of Rosie and she nearly doubled over as she shook, making the rest of the gang laugh harder. Axl came over, rubbing her back as she untucked, holding her stomach and gasping for air.

“Gotta watch these animals, Rosie. They’re barely civilized at the best of times.”

Drawing a deep breath, she patted his arm as she wiped at her eyes.

“No worries, Axl...whew, heh! I can handle it. I haven’t laughed that hard in ages.”

“Even if it’s twenty-four-seven? I don’t think these assholes ever stop.”

“Speak for yourself, Red. I’m a total gentleman.”

“Blondie, you’re a total something, alright.”

“Alright everybody, if we’re done being children, can we get to the stage already?” Mel strutted past, rolling her eyes, smirking loftily.

Rosie snickered, following her. Coming up by Duff, she glanced at him slyly.

“So, Duff…how’s your kidney function?”

He shot her an odd look. “Eh, fine? I guess?”

“Oh. Good.” She thumped him lightly low on his back with her fist as she passed.

“Ow, hey!”

“Fair warning, there’s lot of vital, unprotected organs in easy reach of this short person, Stretch.”

Axl coughed a laugh as Rosie winked over her shoulder, then turned to trail after Mel. He came up and clapped Duff on the back, smirking at the tall bassist.

“Gives as good as she gets, yeah?”

Duff grinned. “Sure does. Good luck with that.” He rubbed his back. “And watch your kidneys.”

With a little more banter, the group split up, Axl roaming towards the back rooms to start warming up his voice as the rest headed up top.

……………………………………………

A bit later, Axl made his way back to the main stage, pausing to lean against a stack of equipment trunks to watch Rosie watch the band practice. She sat on a stool next to Mel, smiling and swaying as the blue-haired woman danced in place, keeping time with ‘Shadow of Your Love’ as her hands flew over multiple keyboards.

The song ended and Mel turned to Rosie, leaning in to talk and gesture at the keyboards. Rosie was nodding, and her face lit up as Mel pulled her off the stool.

The band started up ‘Live and Let Die’, Duff taking the lead on vocals. Mel placed Rosie’s hand on one of the keyboards, laying hers on top to guide the other woman’s fingers.

When she was sure Rosie had it, she moved back to her other keyboard, making adjustments as they played. Axl had to move further towards the stage to see Rosie, who stood completely still, fierce look of concentration on her face as she kept up her part.

Stifling a wicked thought, he caught Mel’s eye, and seeing her smile back he made his way up to their platform. Coming up behind Rosie, he was almost laughing too hard to keep going.

Frank kept looking over, smiling like the devil and shaking his head, but Rosie was so caught up she wouldn’t have noticed if she was on fire. In one swift move, Axl reached over, bringing both hands down on the keyboard on either side of her.

Rosie jumped like a caught rabbit, nearly launching the both of them off the back of the platform. Axl was prepared though, anticipating her surprise, firm grip on the synth in front of them to keep them and it from falling forward or back.

Everything ground to a halt, and he could feel Rosie panting hard against him even as the sounds of laughter bubbled up all around them. He caught her quick glance as she looked over her shoulder, and a quick but thankfully restrained elbow to his stomach that made him whoof and step back.

“Asshole.” Rosie muttered, turning to face him. Her face was stern for all of a second before she rolled her eyes and chuckled.

“That’s ‘Axl’, ya know. Couldn’t help it, you looked far too serious up here. This is supposed to be fun, sweet lady. Smile and enjoy yourself a little.”

“I was enjoying myself, till you snuck up on me.” She eyed him, one eyebrow arched high and a smirk on her face.

Axl could hear Slash making noises and he turned a quick glare the guitarist’s way. “No comments from the peanut gallery, fucker! Hey!”

Rosie had slid past him, making him jump as she gave his side a pinch. Everyone was still laughing as Frank waved Rosie over.

“You can sit with me, Rosie. Axl won’t bother us up here.”

“Yeah, that’s ‘cause you almost knocked me out with a flying drumstick last year. Careful Rosie, there’s good chance for blunt trauma around Frankie!”

“She’ll be fine! I tossed that stick on purpose.”

“I KNEW IT! Mad bastard!”

Rosie came up behind Frank, giggling madly at Axl’s rant. He waved her closer with an easy grin.

“Don’t mind him, he just likes to make noise. Now, if you stand right behind me, I can give you a stick and you can help out. How are you at keeping a beat?”

Rosie gingerly patted Frank on the back, shaking her head. “Ah, pretty sure I’m terrible at it, really. I’m fine just watching, you’re like a tornado when you get going. It’s stunning to witness.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere with me, little lady.” He glanced over his shoulder to give her a wink. She winked back, rolling her eyes as Axl called out.

“I saw that, Frank! No rubbin’ another man’s rhubarb!”

“Ya snooze, ya lose, buddy!”

Frank suddenly tapped out time on a rim, the guitarists picking it up and rolling right into ‘Paradise City’. Axl shot Frank the finger, but came down to stand center stage, grabbing the mike and launching into the vocals right on cue.

Rosie watched the drummer for a while, patting him again lightly on the back again as she stepped down off his riser, waving as he nodded. Coming around the stage, she stood off by the side watching the musicians jam out the song, coming together and moving around the set in a synchrony bred of long familiarity.

Duff ground out a heavy beat, working his way toward center from stage right, noticing Rosie standing back below Mel’s platform, watching Axl sing. From his vantage point he saw her expression change, soft look falling away to something so lost and broken he fumbled his rhythm in surprise.

Axl turned his way, eyes flashing in amusement. The redhead kept turning, looking up at Frank, brows furrowing when he realized Rosie wasn’t there. By the time Axl noticed her below Mel, Duff could see she was smiling again, swinging along with the music as Axl strutted in her direction, singing the refrain.

Wrapping an arm around Rosie, Axl pulled her along, striding back to the center. Motioning at her, he got her to start singing along, their voices in perfect sync despite being a full octave apart.

Axl finished the song, brushing Rosie’s hair back from her face with a light hand.

“You wanna pick the next song, Rosie?”

She looked pensive, brow furrowing before she looked back up.

“Could we do ‘Since I don’t have you’?”

“You bet.” Axl waved at the gang, the guitarists all pausing a moment to swap out instruments, taking seats around the stage. “You wanna go solo?”

Rosie ducked her head, giving him a tentative smile. “I don’t remember the whole song.”

Axl eyed her slyly. “So, ‘Estranged’ you remember word for word, but this one you don’t? You’re a funny lady, Rosie. You could always pull it up on your phone.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well…yeah, that’d be the words well enough, but you put your own thing in it and I don’t remember what you do.”

“Wait, Axl put his thing in it? And you don’t remember? When’d I miss that?”

Without missing a beat, Axl and Rosie turned heads toward Slash and yelled in unison. “Fuck off, Slash!”

Slash’s look of surprise almost matched theirs as they turned toward each other. The whole band and any crew in earshot were practically rolling on the floor, except for Slash, who just shook his head, flashing a bright grin.

“Better watch out, Rosie. I think Axl’s rubbing off on ya! And not just in the fun way!”

“SLASH!”

It took a few minutes to get back on track, and Slash went and sat close to Duff as everyone readjusted and got ready to go. He started the intro, picking out the melody as he leaned on Duff’s shoulder, tilting his head up and giving the blonde a sappy look, batting his eyes.

Duff just shook his head, smirk twitching at his lips. Rich sat on the stage riser in front of Dizzy, kicking his feet like a little kid and waving at Mel.

Axl let Rosie start as they traded off lines, keeping his voice low to match hers and turning the song closer to the original version instead of the band’s usual wild cover, Slash strumming low-key on his guitar with a teasing lilt that softened Rosie’s bittersweet tones. At the end, everyone joined in for the final choruses, the singer’s arm slung over Rosie’s shoulder as they shared the mic.

Hugging Rosie as the song ended, Axl kissed her forehead, smiling as she dipped her head.

“We should do that more often.”

“Can you at least turn this way so we can get a good view?”

Rosie went from blushing to rolling her eyes. “You wouldn’t happen to have a fly swatter, would you?”

Axl’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Whatcha need that for?”

She pinned Slash with a glance and a smirk. “Nothing big. Just a little pest control.”

Duff chuckled, pushing Slash off his shoulder to stand up. “Good luck with that. We’ve been trying for years.”

Slash looked about to retort just as chatter came over their ear pieces, one of the crew saying lunch was ready. He settled for flashing his perpetual grin and giving everyone a one-fingered salute as he headed off in search of food.

That seemed to be a signal, and the band took a break, the show now only a few hours away. Axl was ready to walk with Rosie, but Duff snagged him before they could leave.

“You got a minute, Ax?”

Axl looked at Rosie, but Mel called over. “Rosie, come on with me. We gotta get to the buffet before Slash eats it all.”

Rosie nodded, and the two left the stage, Frank, Rich and Dizzy following.

“What’s up? Something with the sound?”

“Nah…” The tall blonde rubbed at his arm, scratching thoughtfully on a tattoo. “I just wondered if you and Rosie were ok?”

Axl gave Duff a questioning look. “Why? Did she say something?”

Duff shook his head. “She hasn’t said much to me at all. I thought maybe you’d had an argument on the bus or something? She just seems a little off.”

Looking a little stunned, it was Axl’s turn to shake his head. “No, we haven’t argued at all.” He shrugged. “I thought she was a little quiet too. Don’t know why.”

Duff sighed. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“I’ve set up dinner for tonight, for all of us. Thought that might help?”

Duff gave Axl a dubious look. “Couldn’t hurt, I guess.” He scratched the back of his neck. “You know, Susan’s pretty good at this stuff. If you’ve got any questions, maybe she can give you some advice?”

“Thanks, Duff…that’d be great.”

“For what it’s worth, old man, I hope this all works out…for both of you.”

“Hmmm, yeah. Me too.”

………………………………………………………………….

For a change, the concert went off without a hitch, Axl on fire, teasing Slash, Duff and Rich as he pranced and strutted around the stage. The crowd was lit, and poured their joyful energy right back at them all night long.

He couldn’t help but grin every time he looked at Rosie. Standing stage left out of the crowd’s sight, she was dancing and swaying the whole concert, eyes half-closed as she lost herself to the music, singing along with every song just as she had the night he first saw her.

Axl wasn’t the only one that noticed. Slash wandered her direction during ‘Estranged’, jamming hard on a solo that saw her mirroring his rolling hips, blissful smile going wide as he hit the high notes and drew them out.

By the time they were finishing up their final encore, Rosie looked as wrung out as he was, maybe more. The band assembled and took their final bows, the lights going dim as they turned to head off stage, and Axl wandered her way, laughing when she nearly tackled him with joyful hug.

“So, was it good for you, too?” he drawled, deep voice lilting suggestively.

He felt her giggle, and she smacked him lightly on his chest as she pulled back.

“Impossible imp.” She glanced up, smile bright on her face. “That was amazing! I can’t thank you enough for letting me be here.”

“I bet I can come up with some ideas for how you can thank us.” Slash chimed in, leaning over her shoulder. He let out a surprised ‘Oof’ when she spun and gave him a fierce hug.

“Beast!” Rosie tugged at a strand of his hair, laughing at his exaggerated wince as she let go of him. “You were fantastic tonight…but that’s still all you’ll get from me.”

“Playing rough and hard to get, you really do know what I like.” His eyebrows waggled above his low-slung shades, wide smile turning halfway to a leer. She giggled again as he let her push him away.

“Hey, somebody giving out free hugs over here?”

“Duff! Oh, you were so good! I can still feel that bass in my bones.”

Duff smirked, elbowing Slash. “Well, you know what they say…bass players do it deeper.”

Slash flipped him the bird, and Rosie cackled, taking Axl’s arm and pulling Duff into a side hug as they headed off backstage. They caught up with the rest of the group as they scattered to grab their things from dressing rooms, meeting up again at the buses.

Axl smiled as he stood on the steps to the band bus, looking over everyone, enjoying the light mood and energy leftover from good show. He clapped his hands and whistled loudly, getting the band and crew’s attention.

“Alright, great show tonight everyone! Damn, don’t I wish they all went this well. We’re gonna head back to the hotel for a minute, let everyone clean up and change, then we’re going out to eat. I’ve got special reservations for a private late-night meal at one of the better local spots.”

There were cheers and clapping all around, people piling into the buses for the quick trip to get ready for dinner. The band bus was buzzing cheerfully, Mel leaning close to Rosie, clearly relaying something amusing as the both of them broke out in laughter.

“Alright, break it up you two. I can tell you’re up to no good.” Axl loomed over the two ladies, teasing tone ruining his attempt at haughty side-eye.

“We’re being perfect angels, thank you very much.” Rosie snapped back, though her mouth twitched with a poorly hidden smile. Mel was hunched over, shaking with laughter.

He reached over to ruffle their hair, chuckling deeply as they both squawked. “I ain’t that young and ladies, I ain’t naïve.”

……………………………………………

Dinner was a loud and friendly event, the restaurant hosting them closed to any other customers, so the whole, large group could spread out and walk around freely. Axl dragged a happy Rosie around, making sure everyone got a chance to say hello, many of the crew thanking her again for her bravery against the shooter.

She held hands and gave hugs to nearly everyone. Axl was pleased to see her kind and gentle demeanor was, if anything, even brighter around the hard-working crew than with his own bandmates.

When they finally sat down to eat, the waiter for their table offered a drink menu, looking a little surprised as the group started shaking their heads. Next to Axl, Rosie cleared her throat, looking a bit embarrassed as everyone turned her way.

“Ah, I’d like to see it, if that’s ok?” She glanced at Axl shyly.

He patted her hand, eyes twinkling. “I’m not gonna have to carry you back to the hotel, am I? Not that I’d mind.”

Rosie snorted. “Not unless it was one of your own that roofied me and plans to try again. I may be small but I can hold a single drink.”

Chuckles came from around the table as the waiter handed her the board, and her eyes lit up. “Oh, I’ll take the rose-infused one, please.”

Axl laughed. “Just can’t get enough, hmm?”

She poked him gently in the ribs. “I like trying new things.”

Food came out, large dishes of savory pasta and meat and roasted vegetables that everyone passed around as they talked. The waiter was back with her order, a sparkling pink concoction in a rocks glass with several rose petals sliced and arranged artfully on the red-sugared rim.

She tasted it and smiled as she turned, catching Axl staring as she licked the sugar off her lips. She held the glass up.

“Want a taste?”

Axl’s eyes brightened, and he leaned in close, voice low and velvety. “Don’t mind if I do.”

He put his hand over hers, drawing the glass up, his lips brushing her fingers as he took a sip. Her cheeks reddened, eyes going wide in surprise as he smiled wickedly.

“Dew on the Rose, is it? Deliciously sweet…and just a tiny bit salty…”

Wild hooting and cheering from around the table only deepened her blush, and she dropped her gaze, turning away. Reaching down, Axl took her free hand in his, chafing it gently as he leaned close to her ear to be heard.

“Are you alright? You can say if we’re teasing too much.”

She shook her head slightly, side-eyeing him, corner of her mouth tilting up. “I’m fine, really.”

“You are indeed fine, Rosie. And the drink’s not bad either.”

She laughed outright, Mel and some of the others laughing with her.

“To Rosie!” Axl shouted, raising his water glass high.

“TO ROSIE!” came the thunderous response, from theirs and nearly a dozen tables across the restaurant. Rosie turned deep red, hiding her face behind her upraised glass.

…………………………………..

Coming back to the hotel, the mood was pleasantly subdued, the wired post-concert energy having gradually given way as the night wore into early morning. Axl had his arm around Rosie’s good shoulder as the band made their way up to their floor.

Peeling off, they waved goodnight to the others as Axl opened the door, letting Rosie file in first. Entering, he reached for her hand, pulling her back around so they faced each other.

Moving close, he smiled down at her.

“I hope you had a good time tonight?”

Her eyes were bright as she looked up, nodding. “I really did, it was better than I ever could’ve imagined. Thank you so much.”

“Should have been like this the first go-round, but I think we’ve got some real traction now. Only great nights from here on, right?”

Her gaze dropped for a moment, with a ghost of a sigh escaping her before she looked up again, smile a bit more watery than it had been. “Right.”

“Are you ok, Rosie?”

Her smile grew stronger. “Yeah…I’m good…just a little …overwhelmed I guess.”

Axl gathered her into a loose hug. “Ahh…in a good way, though?”

Rosie bit her lip, nodding again.

He cupped her cheek, running a thumb gently over soft skin. He could hear her breath catch as he bent down.

His lips brushed hers with the barest touch, drawing every so tenderly at her bottom lip before he retreated, smiling softly. She startled, drawing back and blinking slowly, a bright flush blooming on her cheeks.

“Too bold?”

She shook her head slightly, hand twitching as it touched his.

“Can I do it again?”

Her eyes locked on his, and he could feel her shiver slightly. She gave the faintest dip of her head, voice barely a whisper.

“Yes.”

With more confidence, he pulled her close, teasing her lips with his own; pressing and nipping lightly, begging a response. He couldn’t help but grin when her arms snaked around his neck, holding tight even as she yielded, melting against him.

They stood for long moments, wrapped together, sharing slow kisses, her fingers curling in his hair, his hands roaming gently up and down her back. He felt her start to shake, minor trembles that grew till her whole body vibrating with the force of them.

He pulled back, panting slightly, with a curious look. “Rosie?”

She was panting too, body still quivering. Looking away, she crossed an arm over her front protectively.

“Did I hurt you?”

She glanced at him in alarm, shaking her head wildly. “No! I…no. You didn’t. I just…it’s a lot to…” She sighed, head dropping as she crossed both arms over herself. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you sure that shouldn’t be my line?”

Rosie stared at the floor, shaking her head again.

Axl stood uselessly, at a loss for whether to reach out to comfort her or retreat.

“Rosie, do you not want this? Did I do something wrong?”

Her eyes were damp when she looked up, but she stepped closer, put a shaky hand on his chest.

“Axl…it’s not…you didn’t do anything wrong, really. That was…” she took a ragged breath “…that was…more wonderful than words can describe. A gift beyond measure.”

Laying a hand over hers, he picked it up, kissing it softly.

“That could be just the beginning. You’re the gift, Rosie. I could show you how much, if you’d let me.”

He felt her spasm again, and he let out a long, steadying breath.

“When you’re ready.”

Ever so slowly, he hugged her again, humming contentedly when she hugged him back, burying her face in his chest. She mumbled something into his shirt, and he was just barely able pick it up.

“Thank you.”

“Ah, Rosie. Don’t thank me just for not acting like the asshole I’ve been most my life. You deserve so much more than this.”

He felt her head shake, small hand patting him gently on the back. Tilting, he kissed the top of her head.

“Would you…like to stay with me tonight?” He felt her freeze, and held back a sigh. “I promise, Rosie, you’ll be as safe as before. I just thought it’d be nice to not be alone. I’ve missed you, these last few nights.”

He felt her shudder and draw in a ragged breath. She squeezed him tightly, lifting her head but still not looking him in the eye.

“I’m…I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok, Rosie. Don’t be sorry. I’ll never pressure you. After all these years, even I’ve learned a little …patience…”

He felt her huff in weak amusement, and he chuckled softly himself. Carding a hand through her hair, he kissed her forehead again.

“Well, I’d best let you rest then. We’ve got a moderately early morning tomorrow, on our way to the next stop.”

She nodded, casting a side glance at him and looking away again.

“I think I might shower tonight. Make it easier to leave.”

Rubbing her back gently, he nodded.

“Not a bad idea. Alright, I’ll let you get to it.”

He stepped back, turning towards the larger bedroom. His gut twisted almost painfully and he let out a rough breath as he grabbed the door handle.

“Axl?”

He spun back around at Rosie’s call. She looked small and frail as she stood alone, more like a lost child than the vibrant, happy woman she’d been a short while ago.

“Yes?”

“Thank you. For everything.”

“There’s more to come, Rosie. We have lots of time before the end of the tour.”

“Yeah…I know. I just wanted to say it anyway.”

Axl froze for a moment, taken by a sudden urge to run over and gather her up. He swallowed dryly, raking a hand across his scalp, already berating his own reluctance to act.

“G’night, Rosie. Call me if you need anything.”

“I will. Good night, Axl.”

He stepped inside the bedroom, taking another ragged breath and scrubbing his face with his hands. He heard the shower start out in the main suite, groaning as the memory of their happier moments tonight came roaring back.

The feel of Rosie’s soft body pressed into his sank right into his groin, and he had to adjust himself as he sat down hard on the sadly very empty large bed. Head spinning as he toed off his boots and shucked his jeans, he tried to figure out where things went so wrong.

Finally crawling into bed, his mind was still chewing over the night’s events, still at a loss for what triggered Rosie so badly. Duff’s words came back to him, and he wondered what she wasn’t telling him. The sound of the shower still running was a white noise in the background as he slowly drifted off.

………………………………………

Rosie stood under the water, carefully soaping and rinsing the flannel she’d borrowed from Axl, making sure it was clean before placing it on the hanger she’d grabbed from the closet, buttoning it up and arranging the collar so it would dry as neatly as possible.

Once that was done, she turned the water up, letting the hot stream paint her skin red as she shook, finally leaning against the wall for support as she cried. It felt like she stood there forever, till even the hotel water started to grow cooler.

She turned it off, stepping out and rubbing herself distractedly with a towel. Squeezing the excess water out of her hair, she threw her change of clothes on and walked back to her room.

Running her hands over the backpack, she pulled everything out, at least what little there was. She laid out the clothes and other stuff on the bed, folding and rolling everything up neatly and placing it back inside the bag, then laying it at the foot of the bed.

The bright orange rose lay wilting on the bedside table, and she picked it up, inhaling it’s fading scent. Its sweetness brought back the memory of the huge bouquet, and the safety of Axl’s strong arms wrapped around her.

She laid it down on the pillow, leaving the room as neat as if she’d never been there. Moving to the outer room, she paused by the desk, fingers brushing across a notepad.

Staring it at, she stood for long moments, pen hovering at the ready. With a deep breath, she started writing, scrawling out a few lines and dropping the pen to wipe at her eyes.

Leaving the note lying there, Rosie opened the balcony door, sliding it closed as quietly as she could behind her. Standing at the rail, she looked down at the city as it glittered brightly in the remainders of the dark night.


	7. Windstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie planned a final solution…can Axl talk her out of it?

………………………

Warnings – suicide attempt, mentions of depression, mental health

………………………….

Axl startled awake, groggily trying to figure out what had disturbed him. He scrubbed his face tiredly, checking the time to see it was barely more than an hour since he’d laid down.

Sighing, he got up, hitting the bathroom and throwing on a pair of shorts before going out. The suite was quiet and dark, and he wandered to the desk to turn on a lamp.

There was a note written on the memo pad. Axl picked it up, and his heart froze.

_“Thank you all so very much for sharing your lives and gifting me with your attention while we traveled together. It truly was the best thing to happen to me in a very long time._

_Please don’t feel guilty, there was nothing you could have done different. This was my plan long before you plucked me from the crowds, though I appreciate the small joys being in your company brought me far more than I can say._

_Axl, your kindnesses were beyond measure. I can’t thank you enough for how you took care of me. Please don’t let my actions weigh you down. You have too much to give to let this small event darken you. I wish you nothing but the best. You deserve all the love and light in the world.”_

Shaking, Axl glanced around the suite again, dropping the note and running to the main bathroom. The relief at finding nothing was short lived, and he rushed into the smaller bedroom, staring at the rose on the pillow and the hollow neatness of the empty room.

Truly starting to panic, he paused at her doorway, torn between who he should call, or if he should check at the front desk, or …something? Motion on the balcony caught his frantic eye.

Stomach dropping into his feet, he raced over and shoved open the sliding door to see Rosie perched on the railing. Her hair swirled madly in the chill breeze as she straddled the rail, staring silently down to the ground many stories below.

With sick dread, Axl stepped forward, afraid to move quickly for fear of startling her into letting go before he could reach her, afraid to be too slow to stop her.

“Rosie?” he called, voice soft and low as he edged closer. “Rosie, please, please, talk to me. Don’t let go.”

Ever so slowly, she turned her tear-streaked face his way while lifting her balcony-side leg to drape it precariously over the thin rail. Axl faltered.

“Please, Rosie, I don’t want to lose you.”

“It’s alright, Axl. You did what you thought best. I’m so tired of holding on anymore.”

His legs shook like jello as he crept towards her, tears flowing unnoticed down his cheeks.

“Rosie, please let me help you. I’ve been where you are.”

Rosie’s words were whisper soft, nearly drowned out by the breeze. “I’ve been a ghost for so long… I just want to be free.”

She turned away from him, body shifting even more as she faced the drop. Axl rose up, dashing the last few feet to grab her as she let go, lifting and spinning her back over the rail, the two of them landing heavily on the tiled floor of the balcony.

Axl heaved for air as he held a struggling Rosie close to his chest. Her feet drummed wildly on the ground, body trying to arch away, hands scrabbling uselessly at his as thin fingernails left shallow scratches on his skin.

Rosie fought hard, rough breathless sobs wracking her frame as she writhed and kicked. Still Axl held her tight, steadfastly ignoring her efforts to free herself.

“I’m sorry, Rosie. I’m not gonna let you go. I know you hurt like hell right now but you won’t always feel this way, I promise.”

She shrieked in frustration, heaving and straining a few more times before her energy gave out and she collapsed limply in his arms, curled up and shaking as she cried. Still holding her, he managed to sit up, pulling her in to cradle her on his lap as he leaned against the railing.

Finally able to catch his breath, Axl started humming softly, voice low in Rosie’s ear as he held her. She shuddered and hiccupped, still trying weakly to turn away.

“Why…do you act like you care?” Her voice was so ragged it hurt Axl just to hear it, the words themselves cutting like razors into his heart.

“Rosie! Oh, Rosie. It’s no act, I swear. Why would you say that?”

Shrinking away, she shook her head. “I don’t believe you. You said it. I heard you!”

“Rosie, I don’t know what you’re saying.”

“You told them, I heard it!” Rosie’s raspy voice was high, body vibrating with tension. “That all this was nothing, that I was ‘just a fan’, nothing more.” She started struggling again. “Just let me go! It’ll be done, you can go back to your life.”

Shocked as he was, he still kept her close, wrapping his arms protectively around her. The words sounded familiar, though it took him a long moment to place them, swearing under his breath when he remembered.

“Oh, God. Rosie, I didn’t mean it like that. That was the band’s publicist, I wasn’t gonna tell him the truth! I didn’t want anyone bothering you. Please believe me now, I only said that to protect you.”

Rosie drew fast, trembling breaths, still scrabbling uselessly at his firm grip. “Let me go! You won’t need to protect me from anything anymore.”

“I won’t Rosie. I won’t let you harm yourself.” He frowned, considering her words. “Do you have feelings for me?”

She shook her head violently, biting back a sob. When she spoke, her voice was rough as ground glass.

“Doesn’t matter. Just. Let. Me. Go.”

He sat, mind whirling. Something finally clicked.

“You do, don’t you? And here I’ve been trying so hard to show you that I care, show you how special you are to me, only to ruin it all with a few idle words.”

“You didn’t say anything I didn’t already know. None of this mattered. Whether it’s over now or at the end of the tour makes no difference, not to me, and certainly not to any of you.”

“No, Rosie, you’re wrong.” Axl felt his own breath catch in his throat. “You do matter.”

He reached to grasp her chin, gently turning her face towards his. “Please, look at me?”

She did, reluctantly, her eyes slowly widening at the pain writ large on his features. He held her gaze even as he swiped at the tears clouding his vision.

“It’s true, I was waiting for the end of the tour. Not to get rid of you, but to give you time to see what kind of life you’d have if you…if you wanted to stay with me.”

Rosie sucked in a haggard breath, shaky hand reaching up to cup his cheek, thumb swiping gently at the moisture on his face. He placed a large hand over hers, turning slightly to kiss her palm.

“Rosie…when I say I don’t want to lose you…I don’t mean today, or at the end of the tour. I mean…I want you to stay…forever. I think I…ah, fuck. That’s not right. I do love you, Rosie. Please, won’t you stay with me?

About to pull her in for another hug, he felt shaking, and chafing her arms gently, startled at how cold her skin felt. “Rosie! Let’s get you inside before you freeze to…well, freeze solid. Come on now, up you go.”

He helped her stand, rising himself to pull her gently back inside, closing the door behind him. He could hear her teeth start to chatter as he sat her down on the couch.

“Stay right there, sweet lady. I’m gonna get you a blanket and then make us some tea.”

He waited till he got a nod before darting off to the bedroom, coming back to wrap her up tightly. Putting the kettle on, he turned up the suite’s heat, fixing up two cups and bringing them back to the couch, to settle in and pull a still shivering Rosie back onto his lap.

“Here ya go, lovely lady. Warm the outside, warm the inside.” He held the mug for her, her chilled hands shaking too much to hold it safely. When she’d drank about half, he set it down and had some of his own.

She was trembling again, unreadable look on her face as she stared at him. Then it seemed like something broke, her face, her body crumbling inward, till she lay crying in a heap.

“Rosie?” Axl rubbed her back gently. “What’s wrong? How can I help?”

A weak voice drifted up raggedly from her huddled form. “What if I always …feel like this?”

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and feeling some of his stress go with it. He started rubbing her back again, brushing the hair out her face so he could see her better.

“It’ll be ok, Rosie. I love you, whether you’re happy or sad. And if you’re sad, well, you can be sad with me. That’s got to be better than being sad alone. Just…” His eyes lit up as a thought hit him. “…just look at Eeyore. He’s always sad, but his friends never mind, they just bring him along.”

He felt her go still, and he leaned over a little to catch her eye. She was frowning and blinking.

“You…think… I’m Eeyore?”

His lips twitched a little. “Well…actually you kinda remind me more of Kanga. Though, you were almost as bouncy as Tigger after the show…”

Something like a smile ghosted over her lips for a moment, disappearing far too quickly for Axl’s liking. He tugged gently at her, and after a moment of hesitation she unfurled, letting him pull her up, nestling her head under his chin.

“Sweet, strong Rosie. Don’t be afraid to feel bad. Anyone who’s been through what you have has every right to feel the way you do. Just please don’t think you’re alone, that you have to fight it all by yourself. I’ve been there too, so has Slash, and Duff…hell, most of the damn band has been where you are now at some point. I really do understand how you feel, more than you realize. Even if this depression keeps kicking your ass, I’ll be there…I want to be there, to dust you off and help you get up again. Just please say you’ll stay?”

“You…you really mean it?”

“More than words can say, Rosie.” Axl took a steadying breath. “Is there a chance…you want to be with me? Have I hurt you too much?”

Breathing raggedly, she shook her head. “It was just the final straw. I couldn’t take anymore.”

He felt Rosie’s hand raise up to brush his face again, soft thumb catching on the slight stubble on his cheek. She took a shuddering breath, seeming to steel herself.

“That first night…at the concert…that was the anniversary. It’s been three years and I thought…I thought I’d get past it, that after a while it wouldn’t hurt so much. But I just felt more and more disconnected and hollow, left drifting as the rest of the world passed by.”

“Like a ghost?”

Rosie nodded into his chest, continuing. “So, I…I planned out everything. Sold the house, booked a trip back to where I was born. It was just coincidence that your tour was there, and it seemed like a good way to end it, doing something I’d’ve never been able to do before. When you brought me up on stage and then asked me to the party, I figured ‘what the hell’, I had nothing to lose.”

Axl snorted. “Till everything went pear-shaped.”

“Yeah. But you were so kind, and reassuring. You just…never let up…being so gentle and thoughtful…and beautiful. I felt something I didn’t expect to feel ever again. Until…”

Axl sighed and wiped his face with his hand. “Until you heard me talking…and thought everything I’d said and done was all a lie?” He felt Rosie nod and sniffle. “Jesus, Rosie.” He squeezed her tight. “The media is a shit-show at the best of times, I figured the longer I could hold them off the better. I didn’t want them coming after you, at least not until we’d had a chance to talk things over. I thought if the publicist believed it, he’d be able to sell it, buy us more time.”

“I…hadn’t really thought about that.”

Axl heaved a sad chuckle. “You shouldn’t have had to. You don’t really know this world; it was my job to protect you and I did a crap job of it. I should have explained it from the beginning.” Sighing deeply, he kissed the top of her head. “You’d think with all the writing I do I’d be better at communicating. Can you forgive this foolish old bastard? And maybe, just maybe…give him a second chance?”

Rosie shuddered, leaning back to look Axl in the eye, still looking frail and skittish. All he could do was meet her gaze with sincerity, and hope she would see it; that it would be enough to let him put things right.

She was still shaky, and he almost missed her slight nod. He had to be sure… 

“Really? You will?” When she nodded again, he was almost dizzy with relief, the bright smile blooming on his face sparking a pale one from Rosie in return.

She suddenly yawned wide, jaw cracking alarmingly.

“Yeah, I’m feeling that way too. Wanna try getting some rest?”

She gave him a cautious look. “Together?”

Brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, he smiled gently. “If you’d like. Or you could go to your bedroom. It’s your choice, Rosie.”

She sniffled, rubbing her nose absently, glancing down at the floor before looking back at him. “I’d…like to stay with you.”

He let out the breath he’d been holding. “I’d really like that too. Come on then, keep the blanket on till you’re warmer.”

The two settled in together. The stress and exhaustion caught up with Rosie, and she fell asleep swiftly, cradled against Axl’s broad chest while he held her close.

…………………………………………..

It was almost nine when Slash and Duff entered Axl’s suite, wondering why he wasn’t up and answering texts when they only had a short while before the busses were supposed to be leaving. The warmth of the place surprised them both as they looked around the quiet rooms.

Slash called out to Duff, pointing out the open, empty smaller bedroom with a wink. “Think they turned the heat up to get a little, ah, ‘hot yoga’ on? Maybe that’s why they’re not up yet.”

Duff just rolled his eyes, though he was smirking at the thought. A note on the floor caught his eye, and he stooped to pick it up.

The smirk dropped off his face as he read and re-read the note. Slash came up, wondering why he’d gone so serious, and Duff handed him the paper to read.

“Fuck! What the hell happened last night? Why didn’t he tell us?”

“I don’t know. If it’d been really bad, I think he would’ve, right? Either way we gotta find out.”

They both looked at the larger bedroom, suddenly nervous about what they would find. With a shared glance, they walked up to the door, Duff taking the lead and rapping loudly on it.

“Ax? We gotta leave in like half an hour. You up? Ax? Axl?”

Duff held his breath, glancing back at Slash before putting a shaky hand on the doorknob. A muffled groan sounded from within, startling the both of them.

“Yeah…yeah…fuck. I’m up…go away dammit, we’ll meet you down there.”

The two musicians nearly collapsed on each other in relief. Duff frowned, tucking the note into his pocket.

“OK! If we don’t hear from you in twenty minutes, I’m sending Mel up here!”

“Get OUT, fuckers!”

Duff sighed, clapping Slash on the shoulder as the two left the suite. Slash pushed his hair back a bit, still looking a little shaken even as he grinned.

“Well, can’t be too bad, I guess, if he’s swearing at us.”

Duff just grunted. “Asshole still has some explaining to do.”

………………………………………………….

Axl wiped his face and stretched, watching with amusement as Rosie wrestled her way out of the confines of the blanket. Finally free, she picked unhappily at her clothes, having sweated through them as she slept bundled up under so many covers.

“We probably have enough time for showers, if you want. Not like they can leave without us.”

“Ugh… yeah. Thanks.”

He watched her push all the covers away and stand up. “You, ah…want any help?”

Rosie turned towards him, slight frown on her face. “Um, that’s still a no.”

He chuckled. “Someday, you’re gonna want to say yes. I’m really very good at it.”

She blinked at him. “In your dreams.”

He smiled back. “You are in my dreams, sweet lady.”

Her eyebrows shot up, and she blinked some more. Shaking her head, she went to leave the bedroom, pausing suddenly to look back at him.

“Yes?”

She took a breath, trying to meet his gaze. “Can I…borrow another one of your flannels?”

Axl snorted softly, already moving to his bag to retrieve one, and a t-shirt. “What, tired of the one you stole before?”

She ducked her head as he came over. “I…washed it last night. It won’t…smell like you anymore. I feel…better…safer? When your scent is near.”

Pulling her close, Axl kissed Rosie’s forehead. “Sweet, wild Rosie. How do you manage to say something so odd, and turn it into the highest compliment I’ve ever had?”

He heard her sniffle, and stepped back, smiling gently and brushing her cheek with light fingers. “Now, you can be sad if you need to, but you also need to keep moving, alright?”

She nodded, wiping her nose.

“I can give you fifteen minutes in the shower, after that I’m coming in to make sure you get out and get ready.”

Her eyes went wide.

“I won’t touch you; I swear! I’ll just be there to hand you a towel and keep you moving. And maybe get an eyeful, just to make things really awkward.” He winked, and she nodded, huffing out half a smile at him.

Ushering her out of the bedroom, he made sure she grabbed her bag before hitting the main bathroom. He picked up his phone, firing off a few texts.

He rushed through his own shower, wanting to be sure he was done before her. He was waiting as she left the bathroom, his bag packed and ready.

“Feeling better, lovely lady?”

She paused, brows knitting. “Kind of?”

He shot her a wide smile. “Fantastic! That is absolutely acceptable, and counts as progress. Shall we go to the bus?”

Rosie’s smile faded, her eyes on the floor. “What…what if they find out?”

Axl came over, rubbing her arms lightly. “So, what if they do? I told you, they’ve all been there, or known someone, or even lost someone, who’s been through what you’re going through now. There’s no shame in it, Rosie. Your feelings and reactions are valid. What do you think will happen if everyone knows? You think they’ll laugh at you, or turn away? Give them a chance, lady. You’ve made more friends than you realize. We’ll all be in your corner, ready to help however you need.”

Rosie was struggling, burying her face in Axl’s chest as she tried not to break down. They stood for a while, and he rubbed her back till she calmed down again.

When she pulled back, he kissed her cheek with a loud smack that made her blush and put a watery smile on her face. Slipping quickly into the bathroom, he came back out and handed her a huge wad of tissues, laughing when she scowled.

“Ready, sweet Rosie?” Axl looped her bag on his and offered his arm, the two making their way down to the waiting busses.

………………………….

Duff sat at the edge of the bench seats, hopping up when Rosie and Axl boarded. The singer ushered Rosie over, hovering as she sat down.

“Take it easy, sweet lady. I’ll get us some tea and breakfast.”

Rosie nodded, smiling weakly and exchanging quiet pleasantries with everyone, though she wouldn’t look up at anyone. Duff caught Axl’s eye, giving him a heavy look and jerking his head towards the kitchenette, walking away without looking back.

Axl sighed and followed, glancing over his shoulder when Slash joined them. In the kitchen area, Duff watched with folded arms as Axl put on the tea kettle.

“Wanna tell me what the hell this was about?” He pulled Rosie’s note out of his pocket, holding it up for Axl to see. The singer glanced worriedly towards the front seating area, then walked around the corner to the back section, groaning and slumping heavily against the wall.

Duff looked at his friend in alarm, as Axl covered his face with his hands, breathing heavy and curling in on himself. Slash came over, rubbing Axl’s back to give him comfort.

Axl dropped his hands, wiping at his eyes, and Duff moved closer, drawn by the pain he saw on Axl’s face.

“Jesus, you look like hell. What happened, Ax?”

Axl took a ragged breath, leaning in to Slash as the guitarist threw an arm around his shoulders.

“I almost lost her, Duff. If I hadn’t woken up, if I’d been even a few moments slower…” He shuddered, and let Slash draw him in.

Duff put a hand on Axl’s shoulder. “Do you know why she tried? Why now?”

Pulling back, Axl wiped his face again, breathing slow and deep as he got himself back under control. Guilt painted his features as he opened his eyes to look at the blonde.

“My fault, all my fault. You know she’d lost all her family not that long ago. She…she really was falling for me, as much as I have for her…and then she overheard my conversation with Jimmy. He asked questions about her and I…I denied everything. I didn’t want him let him in, didn’t want to let the world in on this.” He wiped his face again. “Just when she’d started to believe in me, I ground her heart to dust. And I didn’t even know. I woke up last night to find her hanging over the balcony, seconds from letting go.”

Slash and Duff stood there, stunned into silence. In the kitchenette, the tea kettle started to whistle.

Axl made to move, but Duff patted his shoulder, shaking his head.

“Take a few more minutes, Ax. I’ll take care of Rosie.”

The redhead nodded gratefully. Slash rubbed his far shoulder with just enough strength to rock him where he stood, and he relaxed into it.

“So, old man. How the hell are you doing?”

Axl snorted, glad for Slash’s no-drama approach. He cracked an eye to glance sideways at the wild-haired man.

“We kissed last night. For one amazing moment, she was hotter than the Vegas sun, only to jump back like a…punished child. I just figured she wasn’t ready and went to bed, only to come awake barely in time to stop her from a swan dive off the top floor…and learn it was my fault.” He heaved another slow breath. “I don’t think I’ve slept an hour in the last twenty-four. I’m cranky and sore and angry and I feel like I’m gonna lose the breakfast I haven’t even eaten yet.” Axl closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall with a groan.

“You sure it was really your fault, man? Even her note said she was planning it before the first show.”

“I know, I know. If I hadn’t pulled her up on stage, she’d’ve wandered off and been a statistic somewhere, and I never would have known her.” Axl grimaced, hand clutching over his heart at the thought.

“Once I did though…Slash, she’s lost everything, every bit of family she had, until we made that connection. And then, with a few careless words, I ripped the healing heart right back out of her.”

“Yeah, well, last time I looked, she’s still here. So…fix it, maybe?”

Axl huffed. “That’s the plan.” He ran a hand through his short curls. “We talked a lot last night.” He shook his head, casting a smile at his friend. “She called me gentle…and beautiful.”

Slash snorted, and Axl gave him a warning glare.

“I think she wants to forgive me, she’s just so damn fragile right now. I need to show her I meant it when I said forever.”

Slash pulled his shades down to look Axl in the eye, smirk gracing his full lips. “Forever, huh? Shit, you really are sunk, aren’t you?”

Axl rolled his eyes, his own lips twitching. “Like a fucking battleship.”

“And you kissed too? You wild man, what will people say?”

“’They’ better not say anything if they know what’s good for them. Fucker.”

“What next, old man, you gonna go steady? Maybe take her to prom?”

Axl made a swipe at Slash that was easily evaded, the guitarist laughing as he danced out of range. Axl lunged once more, grappling with his friend for a few minutes before shoving him against the outer wall.

They stopped there, catching their breath. Axl loosened his grip, turning it into a quick embrace.

Slash returned it hard enough to make him wheeze and chuckle. After a long, comforting moment, they separated, smiling. Axl threw an arm around Slash, giving him one last, quick side-squeeze as they headed back to the eating area.

“Thanks, fucker.”

“Any time, old man.”

…………………………………

Duff fixed up a mug, grabbing one of the pastries off the counter as he headed back to the eating area. Rosie sat at the edge of the booth, arms folded across herself as she listened to the band’s morning chatter.

“Here ya go, Rosie.” He set the breakfast down. She gave him a quick glance and a quiet thanks, picking the mug up and cradling it to her chest.

He crouched, angling to look her in the eye. Putting a light hand on her shoulder, he gave her the gentlest smile he could.

“It’s not much, but it’ll help to eat something. It’s even got chocolate in it.”

She nodded, glancing from him to the croissant and back. Her eyes went a bit wide and she shrunk back, cheeks flaming she ducked her head, no longer meeting his gaze.

Duff moved to put a large hand over hers, rubbing gently with a callused thumb.

“Don’t sweat it Rosie. Focus on getting something in your stomach and let the rest wait.”

Her breath hitched, and Duff could see her struggling for composure. He stayed where he was, warm hand on hers till she seemed to come out of it a bit.

Mel was watching, head tilted and brows furrowed. “You need anything, Rosie? I’m happy to help.”

Rosie shook her head, voice croaking out hoarse but soft. “No, really. I’m ok.”

Duff patted her hand gently, giving her a crooked smirk when she glanced his way, understanding in his eyes.

“Just eat something, it’ll help more than you think.”

He waited till she put the mug down and tore off a small corner of the pastry, chafing her knee before standing up. Rich, watching the exchange, gave a soft snort.

“Here I thought I heard you say you could handle one drink.”

Rosie went even more pale, turning her head away. Duff and Mel both glared daggers at him, and Rich flinched, raising his hands in surrender, going back to watching the tv.

Duff could see Mel frowning in his periphery, but his focus was on Rosie. She looked ready to bolt, or break down, or both.

“It’s alright, Rosie. You can trust us. No one here would laugh at you for what you what you’ve been through, or what you feel. We can help, if you let us in. We’ve all been there. We’ll be there for you.”

Rosie sat trembling, breath ragged and tears flowing. Mel chimed in when Duff stopped speaking, and Rosie turned her way, wiping her eyes and reaching to hold the mug in a death grip.

“Girlfriend, you know I’ve got your back, right? Let me help you, sweetie. I’m here anytime.”

Very carefully, Duff pulled the mug from Rosie’s hands, putting it aside to wrap his large hands around hers. The table had gone quiet, everyone wondering what was wrong.

Hesitating a moment, she looked back at Duff, blinking watery eyes hopefully.

He gave a wide smile, opening his arms, and she curled in slowly till she was clutching him tight, breath still rough. The rest of the guys looked from Duff, now rubbing Rosie’s back, to Mel for some kind of idea of what was going down.

Duff was about to speak as Axl and Slash came walking up.

“Geez, Duff. I was gone for a minute and you’re already up on my girl. What’d I say about rubbing another man’s rhubarb?”

Rosie squeaked and hid her face, feeling Duff’s chest rumble as he laughed. “I dunno what you’re talking about, old man. This little lady is family, everyone gets a chance to give her loving.”

Slash grinned wide. “That mean I’m next?”

Duff could feel Rosie shaking her head against his shoulder, and he laughed again. “It’s lady’s choice all the way. Back of the line, motherfucker.”

Frank cocked his head, looking thoughtfully at Rosie, then up at Axl. “Something we need to talk about?”

Axl shot a soft look at the lady hiding in Duff’s arms. “No worries, Frank. We’ve got it sorted. Think Rosie and I might crash for a while after breakfast, if y’all can keep it down to a dull roar, yeah?”

Duff looked over his shoulder, and taking his cue from Axl, turned back around, he glanced down at Rosie, giving Frank and the other guys a heavy look. The drummer nodded, Rich and Dizzy joining in.

The three of them moved out away from the booth, taking their stuff and heading for the back. Duff tapped Rosie, and she looked up.

“I think your beau wants to sit with you a while. You wanna sit back?”

She ducked her head sheepishly as she let him go, cheeks coloring.

“Thank you, Duff.”

“Hey, it’s ok, really. Just know it's ok to ask for help. You don’t have to suffer alone.” He unfolded himself, bending to take her hand and kiss it, only to flip it over at the last minute, planting a loud, wet raspberry in the center of her palm.

Her first reaction was to try and pull her hand back, eyes going wide as the noise broke the quiet of the space. Not a moment later, her shoulders were shaking with weak laughter as she wiped her eyes.

Duff let go, the men all chuckling when she made a face and wiped her hand on her jeans. He clapped Slash on the arm and the two left to join the others in the back.

Mel shot Axl a look as she addressed Rosie. “Hey sis, don’t let Red steamroll ya. You need someone to talk to, about anything, you just let me know. I’m here anytime you want.”

Rosie reached out, smiling her thanks, and the two held hands for a moment. Getting up, Mel punched Axl on the shoulder.

“Hey! What was that for?” The singer rubbed his shoulder as Mel winked at Rosie.

“Because.” She sauntered off to leave the two alone.

Rosie scooted in a bit to let Axl sit down, then moved back in as he lifted an arm to hold her close. Soon, they were making their way up to the bunks, Rosie sighing as she looked at the small berths.

“Lost their glamour already, hmm?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I miss that bed already.”

Axl snorted. “See? You’re just like the rest of us. Tell you what, you lay down this way, and I’ll grab this bunk so we can lay head to head. We’ll be able to hold hands for a while, if that’d help?”

Rosie reached up to brush his cheek. “I’d like that.”

“How about a kiss goodnight?”

She bit her lip a moment, then smiled. “I’d like that too.”


	8. The warmth of many suns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Rosie recovers, some of the band reach out...

Rose N Bud – 8 The warmth of many suns

…………………………….

Warnings – the slow burn continues… 😉

………………………………

Watching the sun rise over the rolling highway, Rosie sat quietly, sipping at a mug of tea. She’d woken shortly before dawn, having slept nearly the day around.

It was peaceful, little sound save for the motor. She’d padded softly past several snoring bunks and down the stairs, missing Duff pulling his curtain aside to watch her.

Leaning against the window, she startled when Duff sat down across from her. He watched her tense and relax as he settled in to the booth, stretching out his legs so they nearly touched her own as she sat curled up.

“How are you feeling, Rosie?”

She looked about to make a quick retort, only to sigh, her shoulders drooping, not meeting Duff’s eyes.

“Not…not very how.”

He hummed quietly. “I’ve been there too. Anything in particular bothering you?”

She shook her head. “Just…me. I just feel…lost.”

“Have you talked to Axl about it? Pretty sure he’s invested in making you feel at home here.”

Rosie smiled sadly, staring down at her tea. “I know he seems to want me to. And I don’t want him to feel like it’s his fault I’m not…fitting in.”

“You sure you aren’t? From here it seems like you are.”

Her breath turned ragged as she turned towards the window. “It doesn’t feel real. It feels like any moment you’ll all see through me, to the mess of nothingness I really am, and then just…laugh and turn away, just like always…” She was panting softly, fingers scratching at her arm as the hand holding the tea started to shake.

Duff scooted close, putting a hand over hers to stop her from leaving marks on her skin and taking the mug to set it on the table. “Hey, now. It’s ok. I know it’s hard for you to see right now, but we do actually like you.” He dipped his head a little to catch her gaze. “For real and everything.”

“I just don’t understand why?” Her whisper-quiet voice was thick.

Sniffling, her eyes glistened, tears threatening to spill over as she shook her head, fingers pressing into her eyelids. Duff took hold of her hands to chafe them gently.

“Look here, I know from experience I could say a lot of nice things about you that I’d think were comforting but you probably wouldn’t believe any of it, at least not right now. So, just hear me when I say you’re enough, just the way you are. For me, for the rest of us, and most especially for Axl. It’s been years since I’ve seen him as happy as he’s been around you. Hasn’t he made you happy too?”

Wiping her nose on her sleeve, she shrugged. “I mean, he did but then I thought he was…just…pretending to like me…and then he explained and now I think so but I’m so scared it’s not real, and…”

“Whoa, take a breath there before you pass out.” He smiled, reaching easily to rub her back as she hiccupped and snuffled. “Do you even want him to like you? Do you like him?”

She buried her face in the crook of her elbow, nodding. Her voice was so muffled he had to lean close to hear her speak.

“I do…he’s so gentle and funny, and I just…want to see him smile. He’s so beautiful when he smiles.”

Duff got a soft look on his face as he leaned back. “You know, it’s kind of funny. Here the guys and I were worried, you know? That you might just be trying to milk him for whatever you could get, or split us up.”

Rosie looked up; eyes wide in horror. “NO! Gods, no…I don’t even…” She ran her fingers across her scalp, pulling at her hair. “I just spent several years getting rid of stuff. I don’t want anything; I don’t need anything. I don’t want…don’t want to ever…what you all have, it’s too much, too important…it’s everything.” She sunk down, chin on her knees, hands over her eyes. “All of this, all of you, should always come first for him. I can’t even imagine… doing anything that would hurt any of you. Not even… when you got mad at Rich…he’s not that bad, really.”

Duff gave a wry grin. “There you go, being far too kind again. Rich’s always been a talk first, apologize later person. That’s just one of his charms.”

He pulled her hands away from her face. Feeling dampness, he glanced down, wiping gently at them with a thumb.

“Axl shared more of your story with us yesterday. I thought about my own family, and if I’d even be able to manage to keep going as long as you have after what you’ve been through. You’re a lot stronger than I think you give yourself credit for. Not just for that, though honestly that alone is enough challenge for any lifetime. All the shit you’ve endured since we picked you up is just out of bounds. Day to day, we’re really boring, I swear.”

Opening his arms to offer a comforting embrace, he smiled when she leaned into it.

“Axl is a very lucky man to have found you. And he really is completely crazy for you. If you give him a chance, you’ll see it like we do.”

Rosie’s stomach picked that moment to grumble loudly, making both of them chuckle. Duff released her, sitting back with a grin.

“I think we might have some leftovers, elsewise it’ll be a while before we stop for breakfast. Want me to go check?”

Rosie wiped her face on her sleeve, nodding. “I’ll come with.”

She washed her face at the sink while Duff looked in the cupboards and opened the fridge. Peering under his arm, she frowned and waved at a takeout container with her name on it.

“What’s that?”

“We hit a diner last night. Axl got you something, just in case.”

She sniffled again. “Hand it over.”

“It’s probably not breakfast food.”

“Says you. Breakfast is whatever you eat after waking up. Therefore, whatever it is, it’s breakfast food.”

Duff smirked, handing her the container with flourish. “As madam requests.”

“Smartass.” She opened the lid to find fried chicken and biscuits, her stomach gurgling again. “Oh, this is definitely breakfast.” She bit into a fluffy biscuit, humming contentedly.

Watching her, he chuckled. “And here you were worried about fitting in. We all eat pretty much whatever, whenever. ‘Cept Mel. I think she lives off sugar and caffeine exclusively.”

Duff walked her back to the table, sitting quietly as she dug into the meal. After a few minutes, he stretched and yawned. “If you’re good, I’m gonna go back to bed.” She nodded, and he got up and headed toward the kitchenette, pausing for a moment to look over his shoulder and call Rosie’s name.

“I just wanted to tell you; I’m really, really glad you’re still with us.” 

Rosie blushed, smiling around a mouthful of biscuit and ducking her head in thanks as he headed back upstairs.

………………………………………………

The sun was almost halfway up the sky when Axl got up, stretching and leaning around to check how Rosie was doing. Seeing her bed empty, he threw his pants on and hustled down the stairs.

Coming around to check the sitting area, he called out, only to have Mel shush him. Rosie lay curled up, leaning against the window fast asleep, an empty takeout container on the table next to her.

Shoulders slumping in relief, he turned around and hit the bathroom. Coming out, he waved at Dizzy and Duff as they sat in the back, talking over music and scribbling in notebooks.

Fixing up a couple of mugs of tea, he came back up to the front, sliding in next to Rosie, who lifted her head, looking around blearily. Her neck cracked loudly as she stretched it, and Mel’s eyes went big. Axl just chuckled.

“The bed that bad you had to come sleep down here? Doesn’t seem like the window did you any favors.”

Rosie picked up the mug Axl offered, yawning a thanks.

“I thought I was all slept out, so I got up for a while. Guess I was wrong.”

He gave her a soft look, reaching to rub lightly on her shoulder. “It’s alright. You’ve had a tough few days, it’s ok to let yourself rest.” He poked at the container. “Least you got some food in you.”

She nodded, humming softly and scooting closer. “It was really good. Thanks for thinking of me.”

Axl ducked his head, shaking it slightly. “Rosie, you shouldn’t have to thank me for that.”

“’Course I should. How else would I let you know I appreciate you?”

“Heh, well…”

Mel snorted. “Save that for later, you two. I’d like to keep my breakfast down.”

Rosie glanced up, eyes twinkling when she met Mel’s amused gaze. “I thought you had an iron stomach.”

The blue-haired lady winked. “Some things are too much even for me.”

Dizzy came wandering up while the three chatted, leaning on the bench over Axl and smiling at the group. The singer looked up, curious.

“We could use your input on that arrangement, if you’re ready.”

“Guess so.” Axl grumbled, standing up as Dizzy stepped back. He patted Rosie’s shoulder gently. “If you’re interested, you can always come back and see how things come together.”

Rosie looked up at him, then glanced back at Mel. “Maybe in a bit.”

The singer gazed back and forth between the two grinning ladies, eyebrow rising. “Mmhmm. Don’t know if this is a good idea…”

Snorting, Rosie stared him down. “Don’t recall asking if you thought it was.”

Three sets of eyebrows shot up, a delighted Dizzy and Mel now looking at the gob-smacked singer. Axl closed his mouth, soft smile blooming as he met Rosie’s regard.

“Right you are, lovely lady.”

Rosie lit up, smiling brightly, Axl’s grin just as blinding in return. Mel made gagging noises, Dizzy snickering from where he stood behind the singer.

“…and there goes breakfast…”

Axl shot Mel a sly look. “Pretty sure we’ve got your bucket around here somewhere…”

At that, Dizzy outright cackled, smacking Axl on the shoulder as he stepped further back.

“Come on man, back away while you still can…”

With a quick look, the two ladies stood as one, squaring their shoulders. A look of alarm crossed Axl’s face, and he and Dizzy beat a hasty retreat.

Mel and Rosie tracked them with fierce stares, waiting till the men were gone to dissolve into giggles. Sliding back into the seats, Mel watched Rosie thoughtfully as older lady wiped at her eyes.

“So, now that the testosterone has cleared out, how are you, really?”

Rosie went quiet, withdrawing for a few moments before returning Mel’s kind gaze.

“Better than I was. Not sure that’s saying a whole lot though. But things don’t…feel as dark and muted as they did a few days ago.”

“That’s good to hear.” Mel scooted around the bench, moving in close to Rosie and taking hold of one of her hands. “You know Axl talked to us last night, told us more about your life, about what you both went through the other night.”

Rosie bent her head, sniffling a little. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to burden any of you with that.”

“Fuck’s sake, hon, what’re you apologizing for? Being in pain? Fuck that! My only issue is you didn’t tell anyone, not even Axl. He’s so frikken sunk on you, your death would have crushed him. Can’t you see that?”

“I…had thought he was, that we were really connecting. Then I heard him talking…it felt like being at the funerals all over again, only this time it was mine. Deciding to jump was just…finalizing it. I know now he didn’t mean any of it, but it still doesn’t entirely feel real. I still kinda feel like I’m out of sync with everything.”

“For what it’s worth, I think for someone who almost left the gig permanently barely more than a day ago, you’re doing really well. Give yourself time to work through things.”

Mel rubbed Rosie’s hand, frowned, then moved to pull the other woman into a side hug. Rosie sniffled again, leaning into it, taking Mel’s other hand in her own.

They sat quietly for a little while, save for Rosie’s occasionally ragged breathing. Mel straightened up a little, turning to face Rosie. 

“Hey, sis. I know it’s really rough for you right now…but, can I tell you how I felt when Axl told me what was going on?”

“Yeah…yeah, please.”

“I almost couldn’t believe it. You were so sweet the last few days, and I thought we having a great time together! Honestly, besides the guys, no one really takes as much interest in what I do as you have, or if they do, they don’t really get it like you do. To find out you were hiding all that baggage, that you were ready to end yourself like that, it felt like you lied to me, to all of us. It really hurt. And seeing how much Axl blamed himself, how much he hurts because of it, it kinda made me mad. I know you’re hurting…but so is he, and he’s one of my best friends.”

Tears were streaming down Rosie’s face as she pulled away, hiding her face in her hands.

“I’m so sorry…”

Mel reached up, pulling Rosie’s hands away, holding them both and rubbing the backs of them with her thumbs.

“Hey now…I didn’t say all that just to make you feel worse, really I didn’t. You need to know just how much of an effect you’ve had on all of us, how much it hurt us all to almost lose you. I want you to see it, to see how much we all care. And maybe, open up to Axl a little more. He’s been alone for a really long time, and he’s trying very hard to show you how much you mean to him. I think you two will be great together, if that’s what you really want.”

Rosie wiped at her eyes, Mel reaching over to grab some napkins to offer her. Taking them, Rosie blew her nose with a loud honk, making them both chuckle.

“I…I do want this work. I like how it feels when we’re together. It’s just so much all of a sudden, I haven’t been able to really process anything, figure anything out. I suddenly have a future I didn’t think I’d have…and I have no idea what to do with it.”

Mel pulled her into a full hug, squeezing her tight. “Relax, sis. Worrying won’t make dealing with this crap any easier. For now, just roll with whatever helps you feel better, and if you really start to bottom out, just tell somebody, anybody. Don’t try and carry it all alone. OK?”

She felt Rosie nod and sniffle a thick throated thanks near her ear.

“I told you before, I got you. Now, how about we do lunch right? I’ve got some sour gummy worms and energy drinks just calling our names.”

Rosie leaned back with a shudder. “Sour gummies sure, but miss me with the energy drink. That stuff just tastes like fruity sweat.”

Mel clutched her chest theatrically. “How dare you insult the nectar of the gods!”

Rosie gave a watery laugh. “I think you and I have very different ideas of nectar of the gods. There can be only one…and that’s coffee. Strong enough to eat a spoon and black as the void. Unlike all that fruity crap”

“You just wait… You may have won this round, but you won’t win the war!”

Dissolving in giggles, Rosie wiped her nose again. She looked up, meeting Mel’s grin with a pale one of her own.

“Thank you, Mel. For talking to me, and for helping me feel like laughing again.”

“No worries, sis.” The blue-haired lady stood up, hand on her stomach as she reached for Rosie with the other. “Time for snacks! I’m feeling seriously sugar deprived.”

……………………………………….

The next day, Rosie stood making tea, jumping a mile when Slash came up and hugged her from behind.

“Hey, easy there, babe. It’s just me.”

He put a hand on her shoulder and Rosie whipped around, slapping his hand away, shaking her head.

“Don’t!”

Slash stepped back, putting his hands up, easy smile on his face. “Chill, lady. It’s all good. Just wanted to let you know I’m here for ya.”

He reached out again, only to be met with a wary gaze, Rosie’s voice quavering as she spoke.

“Please…don’t touch me.”

“Rosie, what gives? Don’t you like me anymore?”

She brought a hand to her face, fingers pressing against her eyelids. It took a few moments before she could speak.

“I…I do, but it’s different now.”

“Why? You feeling that bad? You want me to get Doc, or Axl?”

Rosie shook her head slowly, breathing in halting sniffles.

“It’s not that. It was…ok before. I just can’t now.”

He lowered his glasses, really looking at her. She shook her head again, crossing her hands protectively across her front, not meeting his gaze, her whole body turned away. His shoulders dropped and he exhaled loudly.

“Rosie, do I scare you? Tell me why, please? I’m like the chillest guy around.”

Glancing at him from the side, she wiped at her nose. “Before, it didn’t matter what you said, what I said. I knew nothing was gonna happen. It was ok to joke around.”

“You keep saying ‘before’.” He looked at her for a moment, brows furrowed. “You mean before you…decided not to jump?”

She nodded.

“What’s different now?”

Rosie took a ragged breath. “Now…I don’t know…if you really mean what you say…if…if you’d listen if I said no.”

Slash groaned, running a hand down his face. “Jesus, Rosie! I’m not that kinda guy! I know I talk a lot of game. That’s just how I find out if I’m gettin’ an enthusiastic yes…or a firm no. I’d never take what wasn’t freely given.”

He moved closer, tilting his head and holding both his hands out. “Please?”

Rosie looked up at him, blinking slowly, then down. She reached out gingerly, startling a little at the rough feel of calluses as his large hands engulfed her small one.

Rubbing gently, he gave her a fond smile. “I talk pretty rough, Rosie, that’s who I am and that’s not gonna change. But I don’t want to ever see you afraid of me, afraid to talk to me. I love the way you sass me back, it shows me you can handle Red, that you fit in with the rest of us. But I’m just playing. I wouldn’t really hit on you, not unless you gave me a clear invite.”

Rosie flushed dark. “I’m…I’ve never had any guy friends. I’m afraid I’ll say something…you’ll think is yes.”

“You don’t seem to have trouble getting close to Duff.”

“He’s married. That makes it…safe.”

Slash hummed thoughtfully. “So…if we agree I have your firm no, could you relax again? I really miss that wicked tongue.”

Rosie took a deep breath, glancing up with a watery smile and a look of hope in her eyes. “You miss the what now, beastie?”

He chuckled low, smile bright. “Just the sass, not the ass, little lady. But… if you and Ax wanna put on a show, I’m happy to bring the popcorn. And maybe sell tickets.”

She gave a snuffling snort. “Only in your dreams, beastie.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know my dreams, little girl…” He waggled his eyebrows at her, leering smile growing brighter when she giggled.

She straightened, turning serious. “Slash…could you…maybe…talk to the other guys too? I…I want to be…more like this. I just don’t want anyone to ever get the wrong idea from it.”

He huffed a snort of his own, though his eyes twinkled. “Make me the bearer of bad news, hmm? No worries, I got you, babe. We all can see you’ve only got eyes for Ax. Well, maybe not just eyes…”

“Slash!” Rosie smacked him lightly on an arm.

Axl chose that moment to wander over, leaning against a cabinet with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

“Fuckin’ hell, man. First I gotta peel Duff off her, now you? Step it, you candy ass motherfucker.”

Slash turned with a wicked grin, retort ready, only to yelp as Rosie tweaked a curl when his back was turned. Axl was shaking with laughter as the guitarist glared theatrically back and forth between him and Rosie.

“Two against one, eh? Oh, I see how it is. You can have the wench, Ax, you two deserve each other.”

“Oh, beastie?”

Slash turned towards Rosie, easy grin back on his face. “Yeesss?”

“I’m getting that fly swatter.”

“Promises, promises…” He winked at her, then turned and moseyed back to the practice space.

Axl shook his head, bright smile turning almost blinding as she slipped her arms around him, resting her head just under his chin. Carding his fingers through her hair, he kissed the top of her head.

“Doing alright, pretty lady?”

Rosie sighed, nuzzling his chest. “Getting there, I think.”

“We’ll be getting in to town tonight. Alright if I get us a single this time?”

He felt Rosie’s sharp intake, holding his own breath as he waited for her response.

She nodded, squeezing him tighter.

Cupping her chin, he tilted her head up gently to look her in the eyes. “You sure now, sweet Rosie? There’s no pressure.”

“I’m sure.” A blush dusted her cheeks. “I like sleeping with you.” The blush deepened as she looked down a moment, then met his gaze again. “And…kissing you.”

“I like kissing you too.” Axl chuckled, his chest rumbling under Rosie’s cheek. He leaned down, breath tickling her ear as he planted a kiss on the soft skin behind it, grinning as he felt her shudder.

He kept his voice low, smooth growl barely a murmur. “Just say the word, sweet lady…I’ll kiss you anywhere you want.” Close as he was, he couldn’t miss the soft gasp, or the feel of her fingernails clutching at his back, sharp even through his shirt.

She buried her face in his chest, drawing a shaky breath as she tilted the near shoulder down, exposing more of her neck for him. Even so, she twitched when his lips grazed the graceful curve.

Axl’s hands slipped down her back as he mapped her skin, and she arched up, whisper-quiet keen sweet music to his ears. The press of her body made him growl and roll his hips against hers, grinning when it pulled another full body shudder out of her.

The sound of the microwave latching shut made them both go still, and Axl raised his head, thunderous scowl already forming for the cause of the disturbance. Across from him, Slash just smiled, scratching his chest idly.

“Don’t mind me, kids. Just getting some popcorn for the show.”

Axl readied himself for some choice words when he felt Rosie shaking against him. His anger dissolved in a flash, and he pulled back, looking at her with concern, only to realize she was practically hyperventilating with laughter.

Smirking, he glared over at his friend again, mouthing ‘you are so fucking lucky’. The microwave dinged, and Slash turned to pop it open, pulling out the bag and opening it, the smell of warm popcorn wafting through the space.

The guitarist popped some into his mouth, grinning as he chewed, leaning back against the counter.

“Aww, is the show over?”

Axl narrowed his eyes just as Rosie spun around, snatching the bag out of Slash’s hands.

“Hey!”

She growled at him. “For you it is.”

Grabbing hold of Axl’s shirt, she pulled him along with her towards the seating area. The redhead just threw up his hands, chuckling at the dismay on Slash’s face as she dragged him and the snack away.

…………………………………………………………..


	9. Twine and grow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at the next city, Rosie and Axl grow a little closer...

Warnings – y’all can have a little bit of mature fun…as a treat 😉

………………………..

Despite the switch to a single, the suite was far from small, containing a far sized kitchenette and living area. Axl guided Rosie through the entrance, walking past her as he deposited their bags in the bedroom and coming back out to see her still standing in the center of the space.

“So…you feeling hungry? Or just tired?”

Rosie shrugged. “A little hungry. That bag of popcorn was a long time ago. How about you?”

“Eh, I could eat. I’ve been through here before, there used to be a little Asian joint nearby, think it’s still there. Feel like take out?”

“Sounds wonderful. Do they have pot stickers and ribs?”

Axl laughed, pulling out his phone and texting rapidly. “You really are after my heart. Their ribs are excellent. Pork fried noodles ok too?” He kept texting as she nodded. “Got about a half hour.” Wandering close, he smiled down at her. “Any ideas on how to kill the time?”

Rosie blushed, lips twitching as she tilted her eyes away and back to meet his. “I might be able to think of something…”

She smiled as she moved in, gentle hands sliding up his chest to curl around the back of his neck and play with his hair. Wrapping strong arms around her, he pulled her close, dipping his head to capture her lips.

The discreet knock at the door had them both sighing reluctantly as they disentangled.

“That better be the food and not Slash or so help me…”

“Could be Slash with the food.”

“Nah, if that fucker got it, we’d never see any of it. Plus, the bastard never knocks.” Axl chuckled, walking to the door.

One of the tour’s security group stood on the other side, takeout bag in hand.

“Thanks, Tom.”

“Miss Rosie need anything else?”

Axl smirked, glancing over his shoulder. “I don’t know. Miss Rosie, is there anything else you require this evening?”

Rosie blushed, smile wide as she waved. “Hi, Tom. No, thank you, Tom.”

“Goodnight, Miss Rosie!” Tom called out as Axl closed the door.

“I think Tom’d give a kidney for you if you asked.” Axl walked over to the large table, opening the bag and pulling out containers, the smell of soy sauce and ginger wafting up.

Rosie’s eyes crinkled with her smile as she joined him, picking up a foil bag to open it and pull out a sticky red rib. “Good thing I don’t need one, then.”

Her eyes closed as she bit into the meat, Axl watching surreptitiously as her tongue darted out to lick the sauce off her lips.

“Told you they were good, yeah?”

“Mmm…they’re amazing.”

He sat down, pulling out a chair for her close by. “Sit. Relax. Maybe even share?”

Rosie arched an eyebrow, clutching the bag of ribs and side-eyeing Axl as she took a seat. “Maybe. What’s in it for me if I do?”

Axl grinned wickedly, leaning close, voice dropping low. “I could clean off the sauce you missed.”

She smiled. “I thought I got it all.”

“Not quite…” His lips brushed her cheek. “There’s some here…” He kissed another spot. “And here…” He brushed her lips lightly with his. “And here.”

He pulled back, eyes twinkling at the change in her breathing, the light dusting of blush across her cheeks. She met his gaze for a moment, then chuckled, rolling her eyes.

“Dear god, you’re one smooth bastard, aren’t you?”

“I try my best.”

“Oh, you’re trying alright.”

“That mean it didn’t work?”

Rosie turned her head, though he could see her lips twitching in an attempt to hide a smile.

“Didn’t say that.”

Seizing the moment, he leaned in again, nibbling gently at the crest of the shoulder she left exposed. That shoulder jerked slightly as she gasped, and he could feel her tremble as he kept up his attention, moving in towards her neck and up to the shell of her ear.

Just as she sighed at the soft feel of his breath on her skin, he laid a wet raspberry on her neck, shaking with laughter as she yelped and pulled back. When she turned with a glare, he waved the rib he pilfered out of the bag with flourish, laughing even harder at her mock-outrage.

“Ohhhh, you absolute asshole…” Her effort to look stern failing, she gave up, joining in his laughter.

“All’s fair, sweet lady…Hey!” He jumped, nearly dropping his prize when she tickled his side.

He raised his hand, ready to clean off his now-sticky thumb, only for her to stop him with a firm grip. Turning his hand gently, she pulled it close, soft lips enclosing his thumb completely.

Axl went completely still, swallowing dryly as he felt her tongue trail up the digit, swirling on the sensitive pad. She dragged her bottom teeth gently up, and it was his turn to shiver at the sensation, his own breath catching when her lips slid back up, setting him free.

She favored him with a side-glance, eyes half lidded, dusting of red deepening on her cheek. He exhaled slowly, and she smiled, head dipping before she turned to face him.

She leaned close, and he straightened in anticipation, shifting in his seat. Axl’s eyebrows shot up, then down as his eyes narrowed, watching as she only reached past him to nick a dumpling, giggling as she sat back and bit into it.

“Wench.”

Rosie hummed and arched an eyebrow. “Oh, really? For your sake, I hope that sofa’s as comfy as it looks.”

She got up, heading to the bedroom. Axl sat stunned for a moment, shooting up to follow, barely stopping in time as the door closed in his face.

“Now wait a minute, I’m sure we can work something out. Rosie?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you a blanket.”

“Rosie?!” He stood there for a moment, then turned around, swearing under his breath and shaking his head. Plopping down on the couch, he slumped lower, running a hand through his hair with a ragged breath.

Soft arms wrapped around his neck from behind, softer lips brushing his cheek as he turned into Rosie’s kiss. She stroked his cheek with a thumb, smiling.

“Takes more than that to chase me away…old man.”

“’Old man’?” He twisted quickly to pull her over the back of the couch and on to his lap, laughing as she squealed and clutched at him. “I’ll show you old.” Diving in to pepper kisses under her chin, he chuckled and twitched as her light fingers wriggled up under his arms and down his ribs.

They were both panting and smiling when they broke apart. She curled up, resting her head on his shoulder as Axl brushed a few strands of hair away from her face, relaxing with a sigh.

“I could get used to this.” 

She hummed in agreement, her fingers drifting up to trace lightly over his cheek and along his jaw. He closed his eyes, reveling in her touch and the tingles it sent through him as she drifted her hand down his neck and upper arm, a single feather-light finger drawing gentle circles on forearm, wrist and palm.

“Beautiful lady…would you like to lay down?”

“Alright.”

She got up off his lap, and he stood up as well, the two of them gathering up the food and putting it away before retiring to the bedroom. She made use of the bathroom first, and Axl took a chance, skinning out of shirt and pants, fighting to remain calm when she came out, her eyes going wide, blush painting her cheeks.

Clad only in his boxers, he smiled gently as he walked past, making quick work of his needs. When he emerged, she was sitting up in bed, still in his t-shirt. Climbing in on the other side, he slid over, putting an arm across her shoulders and pulling her close.

He could feel the heat radiating from her blush as she nuzzled his chest, his breath catching when that soft, light hand skated over his skin again, tracing over his collarbone and down, following his contours. He let himself drift, her touch at once soothing and enticing.

“Axl?”

He blinked, almost frowning at the roughness of that soft voice. He tilted his head, but she was nestled under his chin, hand still roaming his chest gently.

“What’s wrong?”

“I…just wanted to…apologize. For hurting you, before. I didn’t mean to. I never wanted to hurt anyone, least of all you. Can you forgive me?”

Underneath her cheek, his heart clenched painfully, his throat turning thick as he contemplated her words. Squeezing her tight, he kissed her forehead, not trusting himself to speak yet.

After a few ragged breaths, he managed a little control, leaning back and tilting her head up so he could see her face. She looked as fragile as he felt, and he brushed her hair back, giving her as reassuring a smile as he could muster.

“Sweet Rose, you don’t have to apologize to me. I know you were in a dark place; I’d never hold that against you.” He kissed her forehead again. “Since then, you’ve brought me nothing but joy. Hope you can say the same?”

His throat threatened to close again as she nodded, hugging his chest tightly, eyes bright though they glistened with moisture. He leaned in, brushing her lips with his, smiling when he felt her hand tangle in his hair, pulling him closer.

Drifting his hand down her side, he felt her twitch, arch away. He took a deep breath, sitting back up, cupping Rosie’s cheek gently.

“Am I moving too fast for you? For someone who says they were married a long time, you seem a little unsure. It’s fine if you are, I just wanna know what’s going on.”

Rosie took a deep breath too, meeting his eyes for a moment with a wobbly smile before looking away. Her touch was light as her fingers trailed back and forth across Axl’s chest, and he started to wonder if she was trying to sooth him or herself.

“Rosie?”

“It’s just…it’s so much, all at once. I’m…I just don’t know.”

“Are you scared of me?”

“No! No…maybe?” Her arm snaked out, tightening in a quick squeeze. She sniffled. “And everything else.” She sighed again. “The ground’s been shifting under me nonstop since I met you. I have no idea what to do next.”

He rubbed her back gently. “I get it. The shit you’ve been through this last week would crush anybody. There something I can do to help? Something I’m doing you don’t like?”

“No…no. You’ve been wonderful, really. I’m sorry for acting so weird. It’s nothing you’re doing, or not, really. It’s just…well…” She gave him a side-glance before dropping her gaze. “…do you remember your second?”

Axl frowned, trying to understand. “My second?” Rosie’s hand brushed down, grazing just above the waistband of his underwear. His eyebrows shot up as he sucked in a sharp breath. “Ahh...oh! Oh…yeah…ah…well, kinda.” He gave a bit of a shrug. “That was a long time ago.”

Rosie’s voice went soft. “It’s only been a few years for me.”

Axl’s breath caught, and he frowned again, puzzling her words out, unable to keep the surprise from his voice. “Only two? Your whole life? Really?”

She flinched, pulling away. “It happens sometimes, with normal people.”

“Hey…” He took her hand, pulling it to his lips for a soft kiss. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just a surprise. Does it bother you that I’ve had…a lot more than two?”

Rosie shook her head, turning back toward him. “No. I don’t really care at all. It’s…weird though. I’ve had decades getting used to a certain rhythm, habits, sounds even. That first night, it was so comforting to have someone nearby again, but the longer it went on, the more everything felt…wrong…nothing matched my memories…when I started to wake up, I couldn’t remember anything…and I freaked out.”

With another kiss to her knuckles, Axl released Rosie’s hand, sighing. “I hadn’t thought of that, but it makes sense. Is that why you pull back when I try to take things deeper?”

Rosie drew her knees up, wrapping her arms around them. “Some, yeah. Some is just not really feeling…single? I guess… Some of it though…I’m…just not sure…” She exhaled deeply. “…that I’ll be enough for you.”

Axl leaned over, gathering her up in his arms and kissing her forehead, chuckle rumbling through his chest. “There’s another first. Don’t know that I’ve ever had any lady be more concerned about their own performance than mine. What’ll you do if I don’t match up to what you’ve had? Kick my wrinkly old ass to the curb?” 

She turned her head, relaxing in his embrace. “No. It doesn’t matter what happens, what it’s like, long as you’re not hurting me.”

He squeezed her tight with a snort. “Setting that bar real low, hmm? That worried this old geezer will disappoint?”

He felt more than heard her chuckle as she shook her head. “No. That’s not what I meant.”

She slid a hand up his chest, rubbing her cheek against a smooth pec, humming contentedly. “I have no worries this beautiful man will be anything but caring towards me. I may not be sure about myself, but I think whatever you do will be good.”

Axl felt his throat threatening to close again, voice coming out in a hoarse croak. “Rosie, how the hell did I earn such faith? I’m so fuckin’ far from perfect…I wasn’t even a decent husband. How can you be so sure about me?”

Rosie pulled back, looking Axl in the eye with a soft smile on her face. “I know you’ve not necessarily been a ‘nice’ guy. But you are a good man, frequently kind, and as far as I’ve seen, you’ve done your level best to see to my comfort, and bring me into your family, even when I was set and determined to stay detached. You’ve more than proven yourself worth the risk. Even if I’m less sure of what the hell I’m doing than you are.”

All Axl could do was shake his head, drawing Rosie close again as his chest grew tight. “But I hurt you. So badly you were ready to jump.”

“I hurt me. I overheard something you said to somebody else and leapt to the wrong conclusion, then never gave you the chance to explain. I know I wasn’t thinking straight, but that wasn’t your fault either. And now I know better, and I’ll ask if something doesn’t seem right.”

“What the hell did I do to deserve you, Rosie?”

She snickered, kissing his chin. “I dunno…did you wish really hard?”

“On my best day I couldn’t have imagined someone as perfect as you.”

“I’m not perfect, Axl. Don’t ever pretend like I am. I’m scared and sad and hurting and lonely and so afraid of making a mess of your life, of ruining the amazing thing you have, that I’m practically paralyzed.”

Axl huffed a sigh, nuzzling against Rosie’s cheek. “Beautiful lady, don’t you dare be afraid to reach out. Kind as you are, whatever happens, I’m sure we can figure it out.” Brushing her hair back, he kissed her temple. “Truthfully, I feel pretty much the same, some days even worse, more often than I’d ever want to admit. But you know, maybe if we muddle through this together, we can get past some of that crap. What d’you think?”

“I’d…really like that.”

She leaned back a little, meeting his hopeful gaze with a warm smile. Axl felt her soft hand glide up his cheek and he leaned into it with a contented sigh.

Cracking an eyelid, he gave her a side glance, smile tweaking at his lips.

“So…’m really that different?”

Rosie chuckled quietly. “Yes and no, I guess? I mean, you couldn’t possibly have the same personal…rhythm? The way you breath, sound, move, and just…are. There’s a lot I’m still trying to pick up on about how you feel and what you like. But you’re both wicked smart, and sweet.” 

“Hmm, hard to argue with any of that. Your type smokin’ hot gingers?”

Axl could feel her shaking with laughter, her head brushing against his chest.

“Not exactly, though I’m starting to see the appeal.” She scratched his scalp lightly, and Axl practically purred. “He was brunette, before he turned silver, with a pelt like a lumberjack who’s part gorilla. It’s a little…odd…how smooth you are.”

Axl was laughing too. “A good ‘odd’, yeah? No chance of calling me by his name in a hot moment?”

“Axl!” She tickled him on the ribs. “Such a brat.” 

“And you love me for it.”

Rosie leaned back to look up at Axl, soft smile spreading on her lips. “You know, I think I might.”

The way his heart jumped at her words stole his breath, and all he could do was shake his head, eyes glistening. He moved to settle down in the bed, arms open in invitation. She curled up against him, head pillowed on his chest as he reached back and turned out the light, then kissed her forehead, wrapping her in a gentle embrace.

“I think I might love you, too.”

………………………………….

A wicked set of lips leaving a trail of tingles down her neck and shoulder woke Rosie the next morning, as a warm body curved firmly against her back. Axl worked back up to her ear, tongue darting out to brush sensitive skin as he wrapped a light hand around her middle.

She shivered a little, but arched her neck to encourage more. Teeth nipped, worrying at the back of her neck hard enough to leave a mark, and she sucked in a deep breath, heat pooling low in her belly.

The hand on her stomach started tracing lazy circles. She felt Axl smile as her breathing sped up, his voice low and smooth as silk as his lips brushed her ear.

“Good morning, sweetness. I have a request, but you can say no, I won’t mind. I really…want…to…please you. Can I?”

His fingers swirled lower as he talked, brushing across her panties, then slipping under to slide lightly across suddenly oversensitive nerves, leaving her gasping. His hand stilled, and he bit gently on the skin under her ear.

Rosie shivered again, nodding. Axl’s tongue laved the bite, making her twitch.

“No, Rose. I need to hear words. Do you want me to touch you?”

“Yes…”

“Here?” He dragged his fingers across her clit, smiling again as she inhaled sharply and arched up.

Her breath was ragged, eyes scrunched tight. “…Aahhh…Yes...”

Rolling his hand down, he dipped a finger inside. Her slick warmth welcomed his probing easily, the soft keen she gave as he pushed up on her inner walls making his own eyes shut in bliss.

“…and here?” Axl’s voice was rough and throaty as Rosie clutched at his arm, her head tilting back.

Her chest heaved under the well-worn t-shirt she wore, and he could feel her legs tensing where they intertwined with his. Very slowly, her eyes peeled open, to look up at Axl with such heat and trust it set his heart thumping almost painfully in the cage of his ribs.

“…yes…please, Axl…”

Rosie’s voice was plaintive, full of need. The wave of emotions that rolled through him left him gasping, and he carefully scooped her up, his other arm slipping under her for support, and he rested his forehead against hers as they both paused to catch their breath.

He started moving again, fingers dancing over tender flesh, swallowing her quiet, breathy cries with deep kisses that left them both panting for air. Soft and slow, he teased her; delighting in the way she curled toward him, trembling hips rocking in time with his lazy strokes, head nestled under his, one hand fisted in the hair at the back of his neck.

Panting whines started to rise in pitch, Rosie’s body tensing and shaking with increasing frequency, and with a wicked smile, Axl pulled his hand away, watching as she thrust up, hunting for his touch. Her eyes popped open, pupils wide, brows knit in frustration that turned dazed as she watched him lick his own fingers, savoring the taste of her.

He bent to kiss her, diving in when he felt her tongue skim his lips. It took several tries for him to break free, lean back and capture her gaze.

She groaned as he brushed lightly along her soaked panties, her eyes fluttering closed, only to open again as he stopped once more. She frowned, still breathing hard, hand tangled in his hair clutching and releasing.

“Axl…please?”

Rosie looked up at him, cheeks flushed, tendrils of her hair wild and damp with sweat, body trembling on the edge. His own eyes went dark as he took in the beauty of her, and he tilted forward, mouth on her neck, skilled fingers finding their target, stroking gently and kneading at her core.

“As my lady requests.”

Her eyes rolled back, chin tilting up as she writhed, and Axl latched onto the soft skin of her throat. His lips sent an arc of electricity straight to her core, wringing a cry from her as she bucked against his hand.

Within moments, she was curling up, arm locked on the back of his head, hips spasming. His touch didn’t let up, the fingers inside her pressing towards her front, massaging deeply till her whole body was wracked with waves of shudders, kept going till she whimpered and twitched, pushing at his arm, chest heaving.

Axl held Rosie as she came down from her high, hand skating lightly over skin as he peppered her with languid kisses. Her breath evened out, body relaxing against his, and she looked up with half-lidded eyes and a contented smile.

He chuckled, lips finding her temple once more.

“Guess you’re not gonna kick me to the curb?”

Rosie’s lips quirked as she stretched, joints popping. “I dunno…jury’s still out. Clearly more research is required to make an appropriate determination.”

“That so? That mean you’re ready for another round?”

Diving in again, he nipped playfully at her neck between snickers as she yelped, trying vainly to arch away.

“Stop…please!”

Axl lifted his head, watching her carefully as she looked up, panting breath slowly going back to normal.

“You alright there?”

“Yeah…yeah. Still kinda sensitive, I guess.”

She reached out to cup his cheek, stroke it with gentle fingers. Her glance traveled down his body, furrow forming between her brows as she met his gaze once more.

“What about you?”

He gave a wry smile. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be just fine. I don’t want to be an obligation, something you do just because I made you feel good. You come to me when you’re ready. Just so you know, I’ll be ~more~ than ready.”

Rosie blushed through a bright smile. “After that, I’m not even sure I can stand up.”

Axl chuckled. “I can’t speak to your other talents…yet, but you’re certainly stroking my ego pretty good.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, lips in an exaggerated leer, and Rosie giggled, swatting at him.

“Hey! If you’re gonna beat me off, at least do it right!”

“Brat!”

“Wench!”

The two of them dissolved into laughter, Rosie pulling Axl to lay his head on her chest as she wrapped her arms around him. They rested comfortably for a while, Axl’s eyes sliding closed as Rosie carded her fingers through his curls, massaging gently.

They both groaned when Axl’s phone buzzed, and the singer sighed dramatically, lifting his head with regret.

“Looks like duty calls. You wanna hit the shower first?”

Rosie sat up, sighing deeply as well. “Yeah, thanks.”

She got up, bending to pick up her jeans. Frowning, she sniffed them, face scrunching.

Axl chuckled. “Getting a little ripe, hmm? I was gonna have room service wash some stuff, you can throw yours in too. ‘Specially seeing as it’s mostly my stuff anyway.”

“Thanks, but…I don’t have anything else to wear.”

He looked at her small backpack with sad realization. “Just enough, wasn’t it?”

Rosie just nodded, looking at the floor.

“Well then, how about you go shopping today? I can see if Mel can spare some time to go with you.”

Rosie looked back up, eyebrow quirking. “I still can’t go out with no pants, and there’s not the remotest possibility anything Mel has will fit me.”

“You wanna try my stuff? No guarantees, but I don’t think we’re that far apart.” Axl got up, going over to his bag to root through things, extracting a faded pair of jeans and another t-shirt and flannel. “Might be a little long, but that shouldn’t matter. I’ve got belts if the pants are really baggy.”

Rosie took his offering, blush dusting her cheeks again. “Thank you.”

He grinned wickedly. “Well…I figure if I can’t get in your pants, at least this way you’re getting into mine…”

Rosie rolled her eyes, barking out a laugh as she headed for the bathroom. “Such a brat!”

“You love it!”

“Maybe!”

………………………..

Slash’s easy smile grew wider, and he peered over the rim of his shades as Rosie and Axl climbed into the bus for the short trip to the arena. Catching Axl’s glance he waggled his eyebrows, cackling when the singer rolled his eyes.

“Awful shame there.”

She stopped in front of the guitarist, frowning. “What?” Behind her, Axl narrowed his eyes menacingly.

“Musta been a helluva big pest problem you had last night. All those bites, looks like you barely made it out alive.”

Her mouth quirked to the side, and she seemed to gather herself, moving in to Slash’s personal space with a piercing look that had him leaning back.

“Jealous?”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, deep laughter joining the others’ as Rosie smirked and stepped back. She went and got a cup of coffee before joining Axl at the table.

“Raided your boyfriend’s closet, Rosie?” Rich chided before Mel stomped his foot under the table. “Ow, what? She did!”

Rosie just shrugged, unperturbed. “You lodging a complaint, or making an observation?”

Rich smirked. “Just observing.”

“Would you like to know precisely what you can do with that ‘observation’?” The smile she gave was sweetly poisonous, eyes glittering with the words she left unsaid.

Frank chuckled and slapped Rich on the back hard enough for the rhythm guitarist to grunt. “Quit while you still can, man.”

Rich just rolled his eyes, shrugging it off. “Eh, whatever.” He slid out of the booth and headed to the back.

Frank rolled his eyes too, then winked at Rosie. “Getting too old for this drama, I’m telling ya.” He followed the other musician.

Dizzy just watched them go with little more than a shake of his head, still working through his breakfast. Axl caught Mel’s eye as she sat sipping on a huge can of energy drink.

“You got some time before show? Rosie could use some company while she’s shopping.”

Before Mel could answer, Rosie blinked and turned on him. “Axl, that was practically primeval. She’s got a hell of a lot of things to manage pre-show, you know it. I’m a big girl, I can find some clothes all by myself.”

He frowned, looking a little flustered. “I know you can, I thought you’d like company?”

“Which I can ask for myself, thank you. Though if I was going to impose on any one of you the day of a concert, you’d be far more expendable.”

Dizzy nearly choked on his food, swallowing quickly and coughing a laugh as he exchanged amused glances with Mel. “She’s not wrong. You’re practically useless.”

“Shut it, fucker.”

Axl glared at his friend before turning back to Rosie. Frowning, he ruffled the hair at the back of his head, glancing down before sighing and meeting her firm gaze.

“I just don’t want you to go alone.”

Her face softened, and she put a soft hand on his. “You do know I’m still a nobody out there. I can go to a mall without being bothered.”

“Not for long though. I want you safe.”

Mel laid a hand on Rosie’s arm. “Have to agree with Red on this one. You’ll find out far too soon what it’s like.”

Rosie sighed. “Alright, alright. I suppose I could kidnap Tom. If that’s ok?”

Axl perked up. “Really? That’ll work.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Having someone with me in a strange city isn’t such a bad idea. He won’t mind smushing into an Uber, will he?”

Axl was already tapping away on his phone. “One car and security detail all set.”

Rosie scrunched her nose, giving Axl a hesitant look. “Oh. Um…thanks, I guess? I just feel like you’re going through a lot of trouble and…expense, just for something really simple.”

Axl rolled his eyes a little, patting her knee. “Relax. I’ve got it covered.” 

Frowning, Rosie hummed quietly. She cast a look over at Mel, who winked back. “This is little stuff, sis. Don’t let it bother ya.”

The ‘car’ that was waiting when the bus pulled up at the venue was a shiny black stretch limo. Tom leaned against it, smiling brightly and standing at attention as Rosie and Axl walked over, Rosie waving her arms emphatically at the large vehicle and smacking a laughing Axl on the back in mock outrage.

“That is not a fucking Uber!”

“Can’t slip anything past you, hmm?”

“Don’t get snarky on me, you red-headed rat! This is not inconspicuous! This is very conspicuous!”

The singer just shrugged, greeting the burly bodyguard.

“So?”

“So? Really? So, people are gonna think there’s someone important in there, not shabby, raggedy, old me! I can’t believe you!”

Axl pushed his sunglasses up to nestle in his hair, then took both of Rosie’s hands in his own. She frowned, still grumbling under her breath, looking anywhere but at him.

“Rosie, you are someone important. This is just a part of what you’re gonna have to get used to now that you’re with me. I’m sorry, but it’s not ever gonna get any easier.”

She went quiet, exhaled slowly and looked up, finally meeting his eyes.

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I hate that you’re right, but you’re right.”

Axl leaned in, kissing Rosie on her nose. “No worries, love. I can tell you first hand it’s a big change to get used to, but we’re all gonna help you do just that. Besides, you’re dressed like me, so stop calling us shabby. Now, go have some fun, and don’t let Tom get you in trouble.”

She snorted, glancing up at the bodyguard, his lips twitching with ill-concealed amusement.

“Shouldn’t be a problem. You got money for bail, right?”

Tom coughed to hide a laugh, reaching down to open the car door for Rosie. “Ma’am.”

“Oh my god. You stop that right now or I’ll toss you out the door while we’re driving.”

“Yes, Miss Rosie.” 

“That’s better.”

Axl was barely hiding a chuckle of his own as he stuck his head in to steal one more kiss.

“Have fun, kids.”

“Brat.” Rosie glared at him as he closed the door, the effect ruined by her smile.

The singer grinned, mouthing ‘ _Wench’_ at the window. Turning, he clapped Tom on the shoulder and said something to him as they stepped away.

A moment later Tom climbed into the front seat next to the driver. Rosie looked a little shocked, looking around the huge backseat and up to the front.

She scooted around, sitting sideways on the forward seats and knocked on the glass. The intercom crackled, making her jump.

“Yes, Miss Rosie? Do you need something?”

“Is this…I guess this is normal? Me all alone back here?”

“Yes, Miss Rosie. If you prefer, we could pull over and I could sit with you.”

She looked around, sighing. “I don’t want to be any trouble. It’s fine.”

She shuffled back around, sitting by a window and staring out at the buildings passing by. She startled when the car stopped, looking up as Tom got out, walking around the car to get in on the other side. He grinned.

“Is this better, Miss Rosie?”

She nodded, smiling softly. “Thank you. You won’t get in trouble, will you?”

“No Ma- Miss. You’re calling the shots; you just tell me what you need and I’ll make it happen.”

“Oh. Alright. So, where are we going?”

“Jake, that’s the driver, he knows where all his high-end clients shop, so he’s taking us there.”

Rosie sighed, shaking her head.

“Something wrong, Miss Rosie? Was there somewhere specific you wanted to go?”

“No, it’s alright. I should have guessed we’d end up somewhere like that. Champagne tastes, Rockstar life.”

The limo pulled up on the brick cobblestone drive lined by several dozen tiny shops faced with granite, fine wood and brass. Rosie didn’t wait for Tom, getting out of the car with a groan.

“Miss Rosie? Do you not like the shops? I’m sure Jake could find somewhere else.”

“Thank you, Tom, but this is just…fine. Not the kind of place I usually frequent, that’s all.”

“I get it, Miss. Like Mr. Rose said, though, just something you have to get used to. So, where to first?”

Rosie looked around, not really seeing anything that caught her eye. She stopped scanning suddenly, turning to Tom.

“Where would Axl shop?”

“Miss?”

“He’s not a fancy dress clothes kind of guy, well…not anymore anyway. Where would he shop?”

“Miss, there’s a nice ladies shop right there, we could…”

One glance at Rosie’s firm gaze and raised eyebrow and Tom’s words died in his throat. He cleared it, gesturing towards the main promenade.

“Right this way, Miss Rosie.”

She favored him with a bright smile. “Thank you, Tom.”


	10. Thorn sharp and petal soft

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little prickly, for more than just our pair...

Rose N Bud 10 – Thorn sharp and petal soft

…………………………………..

Warnings: none

…………………………………

As soon as Axl made it to the stage, Slash was on top of him, slinging a heavy arm over his shoulders and grinning like a madman. 

“So…?”

The redhead gave him a cool look. “So, what?”

Slash poked him in the side. “Give it up, man. Those weren’t bug bites Rosie was sporting this morning. Time to settle the betting pool.”

Axl rolled his eyes, smirk playing at his lips.

“No one’s winning anything yet. ‘Cept maybe Rosie.”

The guitarist snorted. “No fucking way.”

The singer just shrugged, putting in his ear pieces nonchalantly. Slash turned an incredulous look to Duff.

“Do you believe this guy?”

Duff shot a look at Axl, smirking when Axl winked.

“Eh, seems legit. You’re just a sore loser.”

Slash looked back at Axl, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “There’s no way she showed up looking like that and there wasn’t something going on…ooohhh, yeah…so, was she any good? The sweet looking ones are always closet freaks. Man, I bet she can suck a golf ball through a mile…ack!”

Axl slipped an arm around Slash’s throat, cutting off the guitarist’s crude innuendo mid-sentence. The curly-haired man grabbed at him, sputtering while Axl bent him back, lips at his ear, speaking low and calm.

“That’s enough, fucker. Got it?”

Slash paused in his flailing, chest heaving, hands still gripping Axl’s arm. He nodded, and the redhead released him, staring at him coolly while he gulped for air.

Duff offered the other guitarist an arm for support. Slash leaned heavy on him, frowning at Axl.

“Asshole.” He coughed and cleared his throat. “What the hell was that?”

The blonde kicked Slash’s shin, just enough to get his attention. When the guitarist looked up, Duff shook his head.

“I don’t let you talk about Susan that way. Stop being such a dick.”

Slash looked at Axl again. The redhead stood glaring at the guitarist, arms crossed, hands twitching with tension.

Pushing the wild hair away from his face, he gave a heavy sigh. “Well, fuck me sideways. Sorry, old man.”

The singer exhaled, relief flooding his features. He moved forward, punching Slash’s arm lightly, beginnings of a smile tweaking his lips.

“Don’t let it happen again, fucker.”

Slash snorted heavily, grin blossoming. “Don’t worry, I’ll get my kicks somewhere else.”

Axl turned to head back to his dressing room to warm up, calling over his shoulder. “Well, Rich seems kinda desperate. I’m sure he’d be down for a good time.”

“Fuck, yeah, man. Love a brunette!”

Rich started sputtering denial as the rest of the group laughed. Slash waggled his fingers, winking, and Rich flipped him off.

“Fuck you, motherfucker!”

“That’s the spirit, baby!”

Slash flashed a wide smile, bounced a couple times and took off, sprinting across the stage towards the other guitarist. Rich froze for a second, shock etched on his features, then bolted like a rabbit off stage, Slash hot on his heels and howling like a banshee.

The remaining group exchanged amused glances, shaking their heads. Without missing a beat, they turned back to getting ready for the night’s performance.

……………….

In the midst of sound-check, Axl stopped cold as Rosie’s appearance stage-left caught his eye, the rest of the band coming to a halt as they noticed the pause. She stood tensely, arms crossed, brows furrowed and cheeks red.

Behind her Tom was talking to her, waving his hands and looking very flustered. When she noticed Axl’s gaze, she shook her head and strode forward, Tom at her heels.

She came to a stop in front of the redhead, eyes flashing, arms crossed once again.

“Everything ok?”

“Tom.” She held her hand up, open expectantly.

“Aww, Miss Rosie…I told you…”

“THOMAS.”

The ice and steel in her voice as it dropped made the guard jump, scrambling in his pocket quickly. The rest of the group stood quietly, even Axl, shocked at the tone rolling out of the normally sweet-tempered person.

Tom deposited a credit card carefully in her waiting hand. He cast a sheepish look at Axl as he backed away. “I’m sorry Mr. Rose.”

“Tom, you’re not the one who needs to apologize.”

Rosie flicked the card towards Axl, his eyebrows shooting up as he recognized it as his own. “What the hell’s wrong? I wanted you to have a good time, Rosie. Wasn’t the damn card enough?”

She drew herself up, fury lending her a strong presence despite her shorter stature. “I may not have a job, or a place to live, or even a car to live out of. But I AM NOT POOR! I don’t need your money! And I will not owe you for the very clothes on my back!”

Axl’s brow furrowed, his own eyes flashing in irritation as a vicious sneer crossed his face. “That’s rich considering you’re still wearing my shit.”

“YOU KNOW WHY I HAD TO! And if it bothers you that much you can have the damn things back right now!” She whipped off the flannel, tossing it at his feet.

Slash whooped in the background. Rosie shot him such a look of acid his tawny skin paled, and he raised his hands in surrender, turning and backing away.

“Is that it, Rosie? You bothered that damn much by my wanting to buy you nice things? It’s a little fucking extra, don’t you think?”

“It’s not the wanting! You didn’t even ASK! You…you treated me like a child that needs taken care of! That’s not how partners…how equals, treat each other! I won’t be kept like a…like a pet…I don’t need …your…charity.”

She deflated, curling in and looking down, crossed arms shifting to where she was gripping herself for comfort. Axl’s gaze softened as he looked at her, and he opened his arms, beckoning to her.

“Please, Rosie? I’m sorry. I should’ve asked if you needed help. I’m kinda used to paying for stuff.”

She shook her head, but stepped forward, Axl wrapping her in a hug. Her voice wavered as she mumbled into his chest.

“I’m sorry too. I just…money is all I have now. I mean, it’s not like what you have, but it’s a lot for what little I need. That’s not the point though. I can’t live dependent on you for everything. I need to be useful, helpful…to earn a place, not just have it given.”

“And here, I just wanted to take care of you, see you happy.”

“I know! …I know. But what makes me happy and what you think will make me happy are not always the same thing.”

Axl snorted. “I’m learning that the hard way. You are a singular woman, Rosie. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Mom? Dad? Are you guys ok now?”

Rosie huffed, glancing up quickly, eyebrow quirked. Axl winked back, and they both turned towards Slash, shouting in unison, amusement heavy in their voices.

“Fuck off!”

The guitarist laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“He gets that from your side.”

Axl chuckled, the rich sound reverberating through his chest as he carded his fingers lightly through Rosie’s hair. “Yeah, he does. You ok now, pretty lady?”

She sighed, finally unclenching to wrap her arms around his middle, squeezing him tight. “Yeah, I guess…I’m really sorry. Fucking hell…I didn’t mean to be such a …bitch. When Tom tried to pay for everything, it just kind of ground in how little I have. I don’t like being so…dependent.”

“No worries, love. I’m kinda impressed - that was actually pretty spectacular. Didn’t know you had it in ya.”

“Well, I don’t, usually.”

“You pulled all that out just for me? Now I feel all special ‘n shit.”

Axl could feel Rosie shaking with laughter. “Only you, brat.”

“Wench.” He kissed the top of her head. “So, did you actually get any clothes? Or did you plan on borrowing mine for the rest of the tour?”

“She does fill out those jeans better than you do, Red.” Duff came up, chuckling softly.

“Bastard. You’re just biased.”

“Probably right. Still true though.”

Rosie stepped back, squinting up at Duff and wiping her eyes. “Sorry for making such a scene. I’ll let you guys get back to your pre-show stuff.”

Duff glanced pointedly at Axl. “Nah, don’t you worry. We’ve had worse.” Rosie snickered.

“Was there a point to you bothering us, you scrawny motherfucker?”

“Actually, there was. Couldn’t help but overhear a little of the conversation. You looking for something to do, Rosie?”

“Yeah. I just don’t know what.”

“You know I wrote financial columns, right? I still get requests for advice from other musicians. You wanna help, you could read some of the mail I get, see what you can offer? With your background, I’m sure you’d do better than I have.”

“Don’t say that, Duff. I don’t know your industry at all. There’s all sorts of expenses and planning that I don’t have experience with.”

“So? We’ll work together, you learn what I know, and teach me what you know. Deal?”

“A stipend come with that? Billable hours?”

Duff grinned wickedly, eyes flashing with approval. “Yeah, you’re a business person alright. I’m sure we can work something out.” He held out his hand, and Rosie shook it with a bright smile.

“So, we get you a computer and get you set up, you can start reviewing mail within a week.”

“You mean, I’ll get myself a computer, and we’ll work out if I need a corporate email or not.”

The tall blonde chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”

Rosie rolled her eyes. “To think I’d live long enough to be ‘ma’amed’ by Duff fucking McKagan. You must really dislike your kidneys.”

Duff’s eyebrows shot up, and Axl barked a laugh. The bassist put his hands up, backing up, his feigned fright spoiled by the bright smile.

“Didn’t mean it, honest! Leave the kidneys, I still need ‘em!”

“Technically, you only need one. Got a favorite?” Rosie took a step forward, trying to look intimidating and failing spectacularly. The rest of the band broke down laughing as Duff scooted back, darting behind Rich to grip his shoulders and hold him out like a human shield.

Before Rich could retaliate, word came that there was food. With a little banter and friendly shoving, the group broke up peacefully as they headed for the buffet set up in the back.

Axl bent down to pick up his card and the discarded flannel shirt, holding it back out to Rosie with a wry grin. She took the flannel with a soft smile, wrapping it around her hips, tying it to match his. Curling his arm across her shoulders, they wandered off towards an early supper.

…………………………….

The concert was well past the halfway mark when Rosie noticed a change in the groups’ behavior. Rich kept wandering offstage, returning with sweat pouring off him, till he was completely soaked and dripping, and except for his disappearances he hardly moved from his usual stage-right spot. A few times, Rosie saw crew running around, looking more flustered than usual.

Duff planted himself in front of Rich, effectively blocking the crowd’s view, wandering very little the rest of the concert. Meanwhile, Axl and Slash went in to overdrive, tracking wildly over the rest of the stage front, Slash even performing one of his notorious handstands.

By the encore, Rich was swaying dangerously, though he was clearly trying to pass it off as moving with the music. Rosie could see several crew standing just off stage, concern writ large as they waited, looking ready to catch him if he went down.

Duff and Dizzy closed in to support him as the gang took their final bow, turning with little flourish to usher him offstage to where Doc was waiting, Axl following close behind. Weaving her way around the backstage, Rosie finally understood, coming up on the rest of the group while the guitarist was braced over a garbage can, heaving up what little was left of the food he’d had that day.

There was a shout and motion as the two musicians dove in once more, catching Rich before he slumped to the floor. A stretcher arrived, emergency techs helping Rich get on and get settled, one of the road crew running over to offer a small bucket to Doc as he went with Rich to the waiting ambulance.

Axl watched them go, then turned as one of the lead crew staff walked up.

“Gabe! Sasha and Zak get picked up too?”

“Yeah, they went about an hour ago. Emergency was just waiting for Rich.”

“How were they?”

“About the same. Far as we can figure, they were the only ones touched that weird macaroni stuff.”

“Well, that’s something, at least. We’ve contacted the venue management? I want them held liable for poisoning our people.”

“Already done. And I’ve alerted the lawyers. They’re reviewing the contracts now, should have something for you by morning.”

“Good work. I’m heading to the hospital; I’ll pass news along when I get it. If we have to leave them here, I’ll fly them home or to one of our next stops, their choice.”

“Thanks, Mr. Rose. I’ll let the others know.”

Gabe headed off quickly, even down two people shit still needed broken down and packed up. Axl’s phone buzzed, he glanced at it, texting a response, reaching out when his eyes lit on Rosie.

He gathered her close, looking a little chagrined. “Hey, pretty lady. I gotta head to the hospital to check on everybody. You gonna be ok?”

She smiled, reaching up to caress his cheek. “I’m a big girl, Axl, of course I’ll be ok. Your people need you. Would you like some company?”

He took her hand, kissing her palm and fingertips. “Yes…but, actually no. It’s gonna be a circus there, and it might get you noticed. I’m thinking we’re better off going public some other time.”

Rosie’s face scrunched and she sighed. “I see your point, if there is a spotlight, it shouldn’t be on who you’re with. Take care of yourself too, though. At least get some tea. Ok?”

Axl chuckled, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Aww, shucks. Starting to think you care about me or something.”

“Guess you’re growing on me. Kinda like a fungus.” Rosie pulled him in for a proper kiss before stepping back.

“Hmm, probably should get that looked at. Seems serious.”

“It clearly requires a professional opinion. If it’s not too late when you come back, you might get the job.”

Axl grinned wide, tipping his hat and winking. “Careful there, might take you up on that.” He turned to go, only to stop and look over his shoulder with amused surprise as he felt a sharp pinch on his butt.

Rosie winked back and smiled. “I’m counting on it.”

……………………………………………..

Mel followed Rosie into the suite she shared with Axl, shopping bag in hand. Closing the door, the two went and collapsed on the couch, Mel peering into the bag she carried with interest.

“Alright, sis…let’s see what ya’ got.”

“Like I told Duff, you’re all gonna be sadly disappointed. I’ve never been any kind of fashion icon.”

Mel snorted in amusement, glancing pointedly at her friend. “Couldn’t tell, considering you only have two bags after being out shopping for hours.”

Rosie rolled her eyes. “Go ahead, see for yourself.”

Digging through the first bag, Mel started peering in boxes and tearing at tissue wrapped packages. “Rosie! These are all guys clothes! Didn’t you buy anything for yourself?”

Rosie laughed out loud. “Those ARE all for me. That’s what I like.”

Mel pawed through the clothes again, looking more closely. “Hmm…well, at least you have some color in here…wait, are these grampa sweaters?” She pulled out a deep blue cardigan with leather elbow patches, and a matching one in forest green.

“That’s what I like. Problem?” Rosie eyed Mel with an amused smirk.

Mel just grinned back at her, shoulders shaking with laughter. “That…that is a look. You do you, I guess…” She put them back in the bag. “So, is the other bag just as… boring?”

Rosie put a hand over her eyes, muttering dramatically, “ _Lord, give me patience_ …” as she handed over the rest. Mel practically pounced at it. “Alright! Actual girl stuff! Cold shoulders! Hell, yeah…is this lingerie…?”

She shot Rosie a wicked look as she opened the fancy box, peering in. “Oooohh, nice.” Rosie blushed a little. “Don’t worry, Axl’s gonna love that…for the five minutes it’s on ya.” The blue-haired musician snickered as Rosie buried her face in her hands.

“Then again…poor guy is so wound up, he’ll probably lose it just lookin’ at ya in this.”

Rosie sputtered, looking aghast. “Oh my god. What did he say?!”

“No details, if that’s what you’re worried about. Not like we couldn’t figure it out though, you covered in more spots than a leopard. Well…that and Red putting Slash in a headlock this afternoon.”

“MEL!”

Mel laughed, dodging the pillow Rosie tossed at her. “What? I think it’s cute! He’s actually taking the time to do you right. And he seems real happy too. I’m glad for you both.”

Groaning, Rosie ran a hand over her face. “Yeah, he’s happy, I guess. When I’m not yelling at him over something stupid. I’m not sure how he’s putting up with me.”

Setting the bags down, Mel scooted closer, laying a hand on Rosie’s shoulder. “Hey now, none of that. You were right to speak up today. I mean, sure, you could’ve done it different, but either way he needed to know how you felt. He’s always the first one to cover expenses or buy gifts, and you come up and throw his card back in his face! I thought he was gonna have a cardiac right there.”

“Do you think he was ok with it? I didn’t mean to get so angry…”

“Seriously? You did fine. He needs someone strong enough to stand up to him, and you just showed him you could. He wasn’t lying about being impressed, hell, we all were!” The blue-haired woman elbowed Rosie gently, earning a giggle. “You got some balls on you, sweetie, and dealing with Axl, you’re gonna need ‘em.”

Rosie flashed a grateful look at Mel, relaxing a little. “Thanks. I know this…” she gestured broadly “…is everything, for him, and for all of you. And I don’t want to screw any of it up…but, if I’m going to be a part of all of this, I have to…still be me…somehow…”

“Chill, sis. It’ll work out, you’ll see.”

Their phones buzzed simultaneously. Pulling hers out first, Mel exhaled. “Oh, thank fuck.”

Rosie read hers too. “Poor things. They’ll have a terrible time recovering on the road.”

“Better than getting stuck here and trying to catch up.” Putting her phone down, Mel shot Rosie a sly look.

“So…I’d ask if Red was making you happy, but it looks pretty obvious. He has, right?”

Rosie looked away, flushing clear to her neck. She glanced back at Mel, trying to restrain a smile.

“Ah…he’s been…good. Yeah.”

“Just ‘good’? Imma have to have a talk with that man.”

“MEL! You will not!”

There was a sound at the door, and it opened, Axl walking in. The two ladies looked at each other and burst into laughter, Axl giving them both wary looks as he dropped his hat on the table.

“Do I even want to know?”

Mel grinned. “Well…”

“NO! Nope, everything’s fine. Mel was just leaving. Very tired. Weren’t you?”

The blue-haired lady cackled, getting up off the couch. “Oh, sure. I’ll see you two lovebirds in…well…” she pulled out her phone and frowned. “…like, five hours. Ouch. Good thing we’ve got a few days till the next gig, we’re all gonna need it. G’night, Red. Take care of your lady.”

Axl just shook his head with a smile, watching Melissa leave. As the door closed, he scrubbed his face with a hand, then went to the kitchenette to pull open the fridge.

“Rich and the others, they’re going to be ok?”

“Yeah, just a bad case of food poisoning, and dehydration from working through the concert. Doc says they’ll be good to go with just some rest and fluids.”

He started pulling out the takeout containers. Rosie got up and came over, pulling out a plate and a fork for him.

“Don’t bother, I’m just gonna eat it out of the carton. Unless you want some?”

Rosie smiled. “I’m good. You had a long day, you need it.”

“Huh uh. That’s not an answer. Didn’t you get dinner?”

She shrugged. “The gang did their after-show appearances, but I didn’t really feel up for it, so I just went to the bus and had a snack. After that we came here, and Mel and I hung out for a while.”

Axl put the carton down. “I’m not gonna eat while you go hungry. At least share with me?”

Rosie rolled her eyes, but grabbed another fork and leaned over to stab a bit of pork out of the box and pop it in her mouth. She kissed Axl’s temple and patted his head, leaving the singer grumbling.

“Don’t you start, brat. You probably haven’t even had any tea yet, have you?”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Had coffee. Or hot brown water, anyway. Kinda like tea, I guess.”

Tsking, Rosie put together mugs of tea for them both, setting his down as he finished the takeout. He took it, flashing her a surprisingly shy smile before taking a tentative sip.

“That’s perfect. Thanks.”

Snorting, Rosie sat next to him, patting his arm. “Doesn’t take a Sherlock to figure out you like yours hot and sweet.”

“Explains why I like you. Dunno why you like me though.”

Axl went to put an arm around Rosie, wincing suddenly and rolling his neck with a grimace.

“What’s wrong?”

“Eh, too much time hunched over in those horrid hospital chairs, I guess.” He flexed his shoulder, wincing some more.

“I can help?”

“What? It’s not that bad.” Axl pulled his arm back, grunting a little.

“Whatever you say. Finish your tea and come lay down.”

He flashed a bright smile. “If you’re that ready to go, the tea can wait.”

Rosie coughed a laugh. “At ease, mister. I’m offering a back rub.”

“From the front?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Ha. You’re much too big for me to get around.”

His grin turned wolfish. “That’s what she said.”

“BRAT!” Rosie giggled, diving in to tickle Axl’s ribs. He yelped, scooting his chair sideways to get out of her reach, hissing as his muscles protested again.

Rosie shook her head. “Alright. Finish up and go lay down. That’s an order.”

Axl looked at her, eyes flashing with mischief. “What’re you gonna do if I don’t?”

She smirked back. “I’ll just go to bed, and leave you to your poor, aching muscles. Stubbornness will not be rewarded.” Turning away, she picked up her mug and took a leisurely drink.

Axl pouted for a moment, then sighed. He finished up quickly and headed into the bedroom. After a moment, Rosie drank up the last of her tea, following him in.

He was just coming out of the bathroom, clad only in his boxers again, and smiled brightly when he saw her.

“So…how do you want me, baby?”

Rosie chuckled, rolling her eyes. “Go lay down on your stomach, brat, and get yourself comfy. I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later she came out of the bathroom, carrying a small bottle. Axl lay sprawled on the large bed, arms curled up under the pillow he was resting on.

Rosie crawled up next to him, laying a hand on his back, and he cracked an eyelid and smiled sleepily at her. She leaned down, kissing his cheek, smoothing his hair back.

“Let me know if I push too hard, ok?”

He snorted in amusement. “Shouldn’t be a problem, but sure.”

Rosie chuckled too, patting his arm. “We’ll see. Straighten your arms out, or I won’t be able to reach them.”

He did as she asked, huffing in surprise as she straddled him, taking a seat on his butt. His smile grew and he tilted his head to glance at her.

“You sure this’s just a backrub? ‘Cause I’m up for more if you are…”

“You are lucky I’m sitting on your ass or I’d be smacking it, brat.”

“Hmm…bold start but go for it.”

“Absolutely incorrigible.”

She giggled, and he groaned, feeling her move and tense around him. He heard the click of the bottle, then he was really groaning as she rolled her palms up his spine, the firm pressure lighting up tense and tender muscles.

Soon, the only sounds in the room were Axl’s blissful hums and occasional grunts as Rosie worked her magic, rolling out the tension and stress he’d been carrying through the long day. By the time she’d worked her way down one arm and then the other, finishing by gently rubbing the palm and fingers, Axl was more than half-asleep, dreamy smile on his face.

Leaning to the side, she climbed off her perch, keeping one hand on his back. Carding her fingers in his hair, she kissed his cheek, and he peeled an eye open again, mumbling half into the pillow.

“You’re really good at that. Can I keep you forever?”

She chuckled softly. “We’ll work on it. Now, roll over. I’m not done.”

It took a minute, but he finally managed to rotate, sinking back into the pillow with a contented smile. She turned off the lamp by the bed, then curled up against him.

“So…now I get that front rub?”

“That…is not the head I plan on massaging.”

“Aww…”

“Shush.”

Soothing fingers, still slick with lotion, ran over his temples and up into his scalp. His occasional hums of pleasure got quieter, his breath evening out as her touch got lighter, tracing slowly down a cheek to neck and broad chest, lulling him to sleep, then settling down herself.


	11. The garden grows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...Those really are magic hands." Curling around her, he leaned in to trail soft bites up her neck. "Makes me wonder about the rest of you."

Rose N Bud 11 – the garden grows

…………………………

Warnings: explicit M/F, and apologies to the bard…

……………………………

The throbbing pop beat of Right Said Fred had them both groaning, Axl reaching behind himself to slap blindly at the nightstand till he finally made contact with his phone, killing the alarm. Rosie half turned over, smiling sleepily at the redhead.

“Feeling a little better?”

He kissed her nose, morning voice rough and rumbling with happiness. “More like a lot. Those really are magic hands.” Curling around her, he leaned in to trail soft bites up her neck. “Makes me wonder about the rest of you.”

The attention made her squirm and squeal, twisting under the teasing assault. Delightful shocks woke him fully as her ass ground against him.

The buzz of texts brought Axl back to reality. He felt Rosie’s sad huff as he grumbled in frustration, nuzzling her ear.

“Sorry, pretty lady. There’s always the next town…”

“That seems to be a recurring theme.” She kissed his cheek. “You can shower first, you need it more.”

“Thanks…I think.”

She giggled, sitting up as he rolled off the bed and grabbed some fresh clothes, heading for the shower. Getting up, she padded to the door, peeking out to make sure no one else was there before grabbing up her new stuff.

Inside the bedroom, she dug out a few things, pulling off tags. Setting them out she took a deep breath and glanced at the bathroom, the sound of the shower just coming on.

Inside the bathroom, Axl set his clothes on the towel rack, then took care of his morning routine. Pulling off his boxers, he climbed into the shower, soaking himself and soaping quickly, hand reflexively stroking the morning wood still raging from their abbreviated cuddling session.

A quick decision, and he turned his back to the spray. Bracing a hand on the wall as he worked himself with swift strokes, eyes shut tight, recalling Rosie’s face as he brought her to ecstasy, the feel of her body writhing against his. Pleasure pooled quickly in his groin, his breath turning ragged when the feel of a soft hand running up his thigh broke him out of his erotic reverie.

Green eyes opened in happy surprise, meeting Rosie’s own, blown dark with heat.

“I think you missed a spot.” He felt her small hand trace over his, soapy fingers brushing the exposed tip of his cock, the light sensation making his breath catch.

His delighted smile turned wicked. “Did I?” Releasing himself, he wrapped his hand around hers, sliding it down his length. “You know your way around one of these?”

A dark blush bloomed across Rosie’s cheeks, her breath hitching as she blinked, biting her lip. “Just the one. Show me what you like?”

He let his smile soften, tilting his head to capture her lips. The kiss deepened as he took her hand, using it to stroke himself, not letting go till her grip was as firm as his had been.

She moved slower than he would on his own, but the feel of it, of her soft breasts pressed against his side, her other hand slung low to clutch hard at his far hip, set his toes curling, leaving him panting, pressure rising once more. He switched the arm he was bracing with, pulling her in till she straddled his leg, her sex soft and hot against the top of his thigh.

His hand slid down to cup her ass, the pressure grinding her against him, and she broke their kiss, nestling her head in the crook of his shoulder and gasping out soft whines, her breath tickling his cheek. Her grasp on him tightened, and he bucked into it, groaning.

“Fuck, Rose, just like that. Don’t…let...go…!”

Shifting a little, he slipped two fingers up into her, curling to press his knuckles against the front of her cunt. She keened, muscles contracting, her whole body shuddering where it pressed along his, and the feel of it made his balls tighten, explosion imminent.

Her thighs clenched around his leg, hips rocking in time with his own thrusts, soft cries mingling with his as the air around them filled with steam. The feel of her quivering muscles locking up, shaking apart, around his fingers, against his thigh, slick hand squeezing his leaking cock, set him off like a firecracker, erupting in her hand, ropes of white painting the wall, cascading down her fingers as he grunted and cursed, stuttering hips slowing to a halt as she wrung the last pearly drops out of him.

Heavy breath calming in the afterglow, they slowly pulled apart, trading soft kisses and gentle caresses. Stepping back, Axl glanced down, gasping in quiet wonder.

Reaching out, his fingers gently traced the petals of the large blue flower that graced Rosie’s sternum, following the extending stems and buds that trailed across her ribs, under her breasts, curling up her sides. Shivering at his light touch, Rosie smiled up at him, eyes bright.

Letting his fingers continue around, Axl pulled her close once more.

“My painted lady…by any other name…you make hungry…where you most satisfy…” 

He nipped gently along the crest of her good shoulder, up her neck, deep voice pouring sweet words as he went, till Rosie was giggling, hands slipping down to grip his ass firmly.

Loud pounding out on the bedroom door had them both jumping, Axl recovering first, storm clouds gathering on his brow. He quickly rinsed off, kissed Rosie breathless, then stepped out of the shower, leaving her under the spray with a wink and a grin.

“Take all the time you need, beautiful.”

Snagging a towel, he wrapped it around his waist, closing the bathroom door with a quiet click. A dark frown returned, and he stomped towards the bedroom door, throwing it open, ready to tear a new one for the interrupter of what had been such a pleasant morning.

His fury was short-lived, harsh words dying on his lips as he saw Melissa lounging on the couch, legs dangling over an armrest. Seeing Axl, she let her eyes trail down and back up, lips twitching and eyes bright with humor, laughing outright when he leaned against the doorframe, huffing in irritation.

“You ‘n Rosie having a good morning there, Red?”

“We were. Those two chicken shits sent you instead, hmm?”

She snorted, swinging her legs around and standing up.

“Nah, I volunteered. Figured Rosie deserved a break. They weren’t exactly tripping me to get here first, though.”

“Axl! Are you wandering around half-naked consorting with other women?”

The singer startled, turning one way as Rosie peeked under his other arm, winking at Mel. The petite musician waved, laughing.

“I see you rockin’ that grampa sweater, sis!”

Scooting back the other way around Axl, Rosie stepped out into the living area, new blue cardigan buttoned loosely over distressed jeans and a black men’s tank that showed off the frilly edges of the midnight blue bra underneath. Mel waved her closer, making a show of checking out her outfit before leaning in close.

“Lookin’ really happy this morning, sis. And so is your man.”

Rosie colored, rolling her eyes, smile tugging at her mouth. “Shut up.”

Mel snickered, patting her friend’s shoulder. “I’d say keep it up, but I think you got that covered…”

Rosie gasped in mock outrage, smacking Mel’s hand away playfully, and Mel cackled. Favoring Axl’s suspicious look with a wink and a cluck of her tongue, she headed out the door with a wave.

“See you two at the bus…and no stopping for seconds, we’re already late to pick up Rich!”

…………………………

The band scattered for the bunks almost as soon as they boarded. Still shaky after a long and terrible night, Rich decided to stay on the main level, crashing on the couch in the eating area so he could be close to the bathroom that he still needed, the effects of the bad meal at least passing through quickly, even if it did leave him weak and cranky.

Up in the bunks, Rosie had a restless morning, drowsing lightly before startling awake several times in a few short hours. Sighing in frustration, she got up, padding quietly past curtained bunks, coming down the stairs and getting herself some tea.

Finding Rich dozing on the seat, she sat on the other side, sipping her drink and watching the highway roll by. Not long after, the guitarist groaned, startling her, and she watched him heave himself up and stagger to the bathroom, leaning heavily on the wall as he went.

Coming back, he sat hard and just slumped back over onto the pillows on the couch. She gazed at him thoughtfully, getting up herself to go to the kitchenette.

She was back shortly, with another mug in hand, scooting around the seats, calling out to Rich softly. He cracked a bleary eye, looking up with a frown.

“Hey there. Are you able to keep anything down?”

He sighed tiredly. “A little water.”

“Sit up for a minute and give this a try. It might help.”

He grumbled, but pulled himself upright. Rosie pushed the mug a little closer, and he eyed it suspiciously.

“What is it?”

“Relax, it’s just ginger tea. The ginger will help settle your stomach and the honey will help you feel better.”

He took a sip, eyebrows going up in surprise. Rosie had to pull the mug away when he started taking big gulps.

“Slow down! It won’t do you any good if it doesn’t stay down.”

Grimacing, he exhaled slowly, tender stomach reminding him it wasn’t fully recovered. “Ugh. Fuck. Sorry. It just tastes really good.”

Smiling, she patted his hand. “It’s ok. Just take your time, breathe a little in between. Slow and steady, and if it stays put, I’ll make more.”

Rich shot a weak smile back. “Thanks.”

They sat quietly for a while, working through their tea. Rosie kept looking over at Rich, till he got fed up, barking roughly at her. “What?!”

She flinched, looking away and taking a deep breath before turning back, not quite meeting his gaze.

“I just wondered…what they were like. You opened for ZZ Top, right?”

His eyebrows hit his hairline, and he nearly choked on his mouthful of tea, coughing and laughing and swearing all at once.

“Fuck…ow…don’t make me laugh…” He groaned as his belly clenched. “You stalking my profile or what? That was years ago.”

Rosie shrugged. “No…well, not really. More like research. Just tryna get some history without having to bug everybody for stories they’ve already told a million times.”

“And the first thing you want to know is…about a different band? You’re a weird chick.”

“I’d’ve thought that was obvious, seeing as I’m hanging out with you lot.” She gave his foot a gentle kick under the table, smirking when he looked up. Rich rolled his eyes. “Point taken.”

Taking another sip of tea, he shrugged. “Don’t know what to say, exactly. They’re good guys. Been through a lot of shit, ‘bout the same as everybody else. Fuckin’ wizards though, and just about the chillest dudes I’ve ever seen, just show up and crank out a show as easy as taking a breath.”

“I remember their videos on MTV, I thought they were so cool. And the car was amazing. It’s so funny that they could sing about the raunchiest things, and somehow nobody batted an eye, just because they looked like a bunch of kindly old southern Grampas. Like, cute little Cyndi Lauper couldn’t sing about ‘she-bop’ without getting ripped to shreds, and here they were singing ‘tube-snake boogie’ and ‘slip inside my sleeping bag’.”

Rich chuckled, hand on his stomach. “You’re not wrong about that. Hell, almost all our albums had warning labels, but I never saw a censor sticker on anything they cranked out. All about the presentation, I guess.”

“I know the band had a cowboy phase – can you imagine if you’d tried to channel ZZ’s look? Axl with a beard down to his belt?”

Shaking with laughter, Rich leaned back. “Or Slash? He’d get it caught in his guitar every show!”

“Or set it on fire with his cigarettes.”

“Heh, they’d all’ve been fire hazards…and with all the wires ‘n shit…ah…that’d be a recipe for disaster. I mean, more than it usually was…” Rich pushed his hair back, looking down at his mug with a frown, lifting it to drink the last dregs. “Things are a lot better these days.”

“From what very little I’ve read and seen, I’d have to agree. You want some more?”

“Yeah…please.”

Rosie stood, picking up the mug. Rich watched her go, picking absentmindedly at a hangnail.

It was a few minutes before she came back, Rich already half-dozing, slouched back against the seat as she set his cup down. Rosie held out a damp washcloth, and he looked at it, brows knit in confusion.

Still holding the cloth, she motioned at his neck. “Lift your hair up.”

He gave her an odd look, but did as she said. Coolness seeped out of the cloth, and he closed his eyes, sighing contentedly.

Hearing Rosie sit down again, he cracked an eyelid, wry smile on his lips. “You didn’t have to do all this.”

She hummed, patting his hand. “I know. I hope it helps.”

Frank came shuffling down the stairs, making coffee and joining them at the table. He glanced over at Rich with a grin.

“Ain’t dead yet, eh? Still look like a used ballrag, but, like, one that’s maybe been washed once or twice.”

“Fuck you.” Rich countered, still smiling. He side-eyed Rosie. “I had a little help.”

The drummer gave Rosie a wide smile. “Shouldn’t be surprised. Duff called it.”

“Called what?”

“Said you were too nice for us.” He gave Rich a pointed look. “Fucker nailed it.”

She chuckled. “Old habits die hard, I guess. And it feels good to help.”

“I sure as shit ain’t complaining.”

Getting up, Frank looked them both over. “Y’all want some breakfast?”

“That’d be nice.”

“Fuck, yeah.”

Rosie put a hand over Rich’s. “Not yet, I don’t think. There are some saltines, you should start with them.”

Frank snorted as Rich made a sour face.

“Fuck that, I’m hungry!”

“Of course you are. You just spent half a day emptying out. But unless you wanna go through that again, you’d best take it easy at first. Get something light in, then go for more.”

Rich huffed, rolling his eyes. “Alright, MOM.”

“Keep that up, and you’ll get spanked.”

Rich leered at Rosie. “Sounds like fun.”

She flashed him a frosty look. “Didn’t say I’d be the one doing it.” She looked over at Frank, who bust out laughing.

“She got you, man. Not sure I want your crusty ass over my knee, but if the lady requests…”

“Fuck you both!” Rich grumbled, slumping down in the seat, though his lips twitched with restrained amusement.

Soon, the rest of the group were gathering around the table, ragging not unkindly on Rich, now that he was clearly feeling better. Axl was the last one down, coming over with tea and a smile as he saw Rosie laughing, Rich sitting up and eating some toast beside her.

“No macaroni this morning?”

Rich, biting into the toast, flipped Axl the finger. The redhead snorted, taking a sip of his tea.

“Asshole. I’m feeling better, thanks for asking. And thanks to your woman taking care of me.” Rich put an arm around Rosie, kissing her on her cheek.

She squeaked in surprise, batting at the guitarist. “Behave!” The group laughed, all except Axl, who watched the pair quietly.

“What have you been up to this morning?” Axl’s question sounded casual as he took a drink from his mug, glancing at Rosie.

She smiled back, looking at Rich and missing Axl’s frown. “I was having trouble sleeping, so I got up. Rich was still suffering, so I made some tea, and got him a towel.”

“She’s a godsend, man.” Rich put his arm around her shoulders, ignoring her flinch and Axl’s hard stare. “Try and deny it, but that June Cleaver dig was on the mark.”

“You really are cruising for a spanking, aren’t you?” Rosie poked Rich’s side, making him twitch. She turned a warm smile to Frank. “Got a paddle?”

There was more laughter, though Axl only huffed, looking back and forth between the two then staring into his tea. Duff tilted his head, watching the three of them, eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Without another word, Axl got up, taking his tea and walking away. Rosie got quiet, face turning serious as she saw him leave.

She poked at Rich again. “Move.”

The guitarist shrugged, standing to let her out, then plopping right back down. Duff kicked him under the table, long legs easily reaching his friend.

“What?”

“You’re an ass.”

“What’d I do this time?”

Duff shook his head, going back to his breakfast, eyes following Rosie’s retreating form.

She caught up with Axl as he rounded the corner of the practice space, slumping against the wall with a heavy thud. She stood for a moment, hesitantly reaching out.

“Axl?”

He turned, glowering fiercely, and she pulled her hand back with a jerk.

“Finally have time for me? Who else have you been ‘helping’?”

Rosie stared at the singer for a moment, mouth open. Axl stared back, still scowling, though she could see uncertainty swimming in his eyes.

The wounded look painting her face slowly fell away as she drew herself up, squaring her shoulders as she moved into his space. Axl’s eyebrows twitched up, head lifting as he tried to put more room between them without giving way.

Ever so gently, she cupped his face with both hands. He sucked in a breath, eyes flashing as he readied a cutting remark, only for her to beat him to the punch.

“You beautiful idiot. Have I really left you that unsure of how I feel? Of course I spent time with Rich, but so did you. Should I have worried? These people are your family, if they’re important to you, they should be important to me too. You know I want to be useful. Now stop gawking and give me a proper kiss good morning. Again. It’s been hours.”

Axl stood there gaping, stunned silent by her tirade, eyes blinking in surprise, shoulders drooping as the anger drained away. He sighed, dropping his head and shaking it ruefully.

Lifting his head again, he met her gaze with guilty reluctance.

“Fuck, I’m sorr-…”

“Nope, too slow!” Rosie chirped, wrapping her arms around his neck and dragging him in to a firm kiss, tongue darting to plumb his unresisting mouth. A look of utter shock washed over his face for a bare second ‘til his brain caught up and then he was meeting her fervor, holding her tight until they both had to break for air.

Panting, the two held each other’s gaze, smiles blossoming to happy laughs. They embraced again, Axl brushing Rosie’s hair back with gentle fingers.

“Beautiful idiot, hmm?”

Rosie pinned him with a raised eyebrow. “Which part are you contesting?”

He gave her side a teasing pinch, chuckling when she swatted at him.

“Neither.”

“Alright then. You gonna make nice with that other idiot out there? Or do we need to resort to corporal punishment?”

Axl cocked an eyebrow, smile turning hungry. “You offering? Better only be for me…”

Her eyes flashed with challenge. “I might…if you beg nice.”

He dipped his head to speak low in her ear, pinning her with a heated side-glance. “Is that a promise?”

That smooth voice raised gooseflesh all down her arm, her cheeks flushing bright as she broke his gaze, breath speeding up. Letting out a ragged breath, she smiled back bravely, pupils dilating slightly as she met his wicked grin.

“Perhaps.”

His chuckle was deep, vibrating through her as he bit gently on her ear, drawing out a soft gasp. His hands slipped around her back to draw her close, when her lips found his jawline, tongue and teeth grazing lightly with just enough suction for him to feel it in his crotch, pants growing tighter by the minute.

He growled, turning them both to push her against the wall, grinding his hips into hers as he tilted his head to give her better access. Slash knocked on a cabinet, calling out from around the corner.

“You two done, or is there time to make popcorn?”

Rosie’s sigh turned into a rueful chuckle when Axl thunked his forehead against the wall, swearing under his breath. She gave his cheek a kiss before slipping out of his grasp.

“I’ll send Rich back so you two can kiss and make up.”

The look of distaste that fell over Axl made Rosie sputter with laughter, patting him consolingly before she slipped back through the kitchen area. She collected an errant Slash along the way, driving him along with the occasional soft pinch to his side, rolling her eyes at his exaggerated yelps.

They came back to the group, Rosie taking a stance in front of Rich with her arms crossed.

Slash leaned over the backrest between Rich and Frank, his hands on Rich’s shoulders.

“Ooooh, somebody’s in trouble now.”

Rich shrugged off the other guitarist’s hands, grinning as he pushed Slash away with a hand to the other man’s face. “Motherfucker, lay off.”

“Rich.”

The lanky-haired man turned back to look at Rosie with a smirk. “What is it Mom? Dad wanna see me out back? I gotta pick a peach switch or something?”

Rosie chuckled halfheartedly, then took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Maybe. I just…want to be clear on something.”

“Yeah? What’s that?” Rich stood up, looming over her, crossing his arms as well.

She took another breath, acutely aware of everyone’s attention.

“Don’t grab at me like that. I don’t like it.”

Rich shrugged. “Chill little lady. I was just being nice.”

“I know you meant well. I’m glad I helped you feel better. I’m telling you not to do it again.”

“Why, ‘cause no one can touch you but Red? I know that’s a lie.”

“It doesn’t matter why, Rich, but if you really want to know, you made me really uncomfortable when you did that. I don’t know what’s going to happen as time goes on, but I want to friends. I think you’re a good person, and there’s no reason for us not to get along. I just need you to…keep a little distance.”

Rich chewed on his lip, looking at Rosie, the two of them standing quietly for a long moment. Then he huffed and gave a half-hearted shrug. “Whatever you say, little lady.”

He walked away, and Rosie covered her face with her hand, exhaling again. Mel was up in a second, offering a hug and drawing the older lady close when it was accepted.

“Hey there, don’t worry. You did fine. It’s ok to take a stand and push back when something’s not right. I’ll back ya up. They don’t joke about my right hook for nothing.”

Rosie shook a little but smiled back, letting go of some of the tension she’d been holding in. Duff scooted over on the seats, patting a space for her to sit, rubbing her near shoulder with a light hand.

“I’ll second what Mel said. You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable around any of us. If he doesn’t listen, we’ll all set him straight. But I don’t think we’ll need to. He may talk a lot of crap, but he’s a solid guy – I mean, he’s put up with Axl face to face longer than any of us, and they’re still friends, so…” the blonde just shrugged, letting his point trail off. Rosie gave him a pale smile, nodding thoughtfully.

Rich ambled into the kitchen area, ignoring his friend in favor of heading into the practice space and leaning against the wall, arms crossed once again. The singer huffed, but followed, stopping to lean sideways against the wall as well.

“You done trying to hit on my lady, jackass?”

“Maybe. You done trying to act like some middle-aged trim is the answer to everything missing in your life?”

Axl’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your fuckin’ mouth.”

“Or what? What are we up to now, round twenty? What’re you gonna do when she comes to her senses and leaves like the rest of them did?”

Fire flashed across the singer’s face, his breath getting heavy. “Maybe she won’t. You don’t fuckin’ know her.”

“Neither do you, asshole. What the hell was that little swan dive stunt supposed to accomplish? What’d she get out of you for it?”

“NOTHING!” Axl bellowed, stepping in to Rich’s space, pushing him back roughly, his voice dropping to a nasty hiss. “You saw it yourself, you goddamn motherfucker, she wouldn’t let me pay for anything. You ever seen anyone turn down my money? Any of your bitches ever turn down yours?”

They were both panting heavily, glaring, hands gripping on one another. Rich took a step back with a sneer.

“I suppose you’d think that’s enough. Start planning the wedding already?”

Axl grabbed the other man’s shirt, slamming him into the dividing wall with a solid thud.

“It’s been ten fucking days, jackass. All I’m trying ta do is maybe have one fucking evening alone with her without some fucking dramatic ass cockblocking son of a bitch sucking up all my goddamn time!”

“Not like I wanted to get poisoned by my fucking lunch. Little lady was probably pissed as hell waiting for you to come back.”

“For your fuckin’ info, she wanted to come too. I told her not to.”

Axl deflated, letting go of Rich’s shirt and shaking his head. “You don’t get it, man. It’s different this time.”

Rich relaxed too, taking a deep breath and straightening his clothes out. He favored Axl with a thoughtful look.

“I’d believe it more if you didn’t say that every time.”

“Eh, fuck you. I can’t even explain it so a dickhead like you would understand.”

“The mighty Axl Rose out of words? Jot that on the fuckin’ calendar.”

Axl rolled his eyes, giving Rich the finger. The guitarist coughed a laugh.

“Fuck you very much too.” Stepping forward, he clapped Axl on the arm. “Shit’s just gettin’ a little old, man. Tired of helping put you back together again.”

Snorting in humor, the singer smirked back. “Don’t I fuckin’ know it. I didn’t even want to think about shit like this again after last time but…” Axl paused, thinking of how good Rosie made him feel the night before, and earlier that morning, a bright smile coming to his face as he shook his head.

“Jesus, I’m gonna hurl again.” Rich grumbled, snickering when Axl frowned at him. “Whatever the hell you’re thinking of, don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.”

“Jackass.” Axl reached for his friend, pulling him into a side hug. Rich harrumphed, but didn’t hesitate to reciprocate with an exasperated smile.

“Asshole. Guess we can go one more round. I fucking hope for your sake it sticks this time.”

“Me too.” Axl grabbed hold of Rich’s shirt back, stopping him for a moment. “You gonna apologize?”

Rich rolled his eyes, smiling back at his friend. “Yeah. Was just curious what she’d do, but she snapped me back alright. Did you see her standin’ up to me? Lotta iron in that soft little lady. Think you may have finally met your match.”

With a laugh, Axl pushed Rich forward. “Don’t I know it.”

They made their way back into the front space, Axl immediately breaking away to come kneel in front of a distressed Rosie. Despite Duff’s assurances, she was practically shaking from the yelling and the sound of their roughhousing.

He went to gather her close but she stopped him, looking back and forth between him and the dark-haired guitarist. Rich came closer as Axl cupped Rosie’s cheek, thumb brushing gently on soft skin.

“I’m sorry about earlier, Rosie. Didn’t mean to make you feel bad. You just let me know what you’re good with, we’ll stick to that. Ok?”

Rosie swallowed nervously, looking at Axl and up at Rich again. “Everything’s ok? You’re both…still friends?”

Rich chuckled, patting Axl’s head. The singer growled, dropping a casually heavy fist on his friend’s foot, but flashed Rosie a smile. “You don’t have to worry so much. We have our own ways of working shit out. Just happens to be loud ‘n rowdy. Kinda like our music.”

Rosie relaxed, weak smile coming back. “Like you and Slash were? It…takes a little getting used to.”

“No worries, pretty lady. I know it’s all new.” The singer stood up with a groan and the sound of joints popping while Rosie looking on with amused concern.

“You need to stop doing that. I don’t want you to hurt yourself just to take care of me.”

Rich rolled his eyes. “Good luck. We still haven’t managed that.” The guitarist chuckled when Axl shot him another bird, and turned his attention back to Rosie. “So…we good now?”

Rosie nodded. “As long as you learn to ask first.” 

“Yes, ma’am. I mean, Mom.”

“I swear to god I’m getting a fly swatter AND a paddle!”

The whole table broke down laughing. Slash winked at her, flashing a wide smile. “I dunno, Ax. Swatters? Paddles? When does she break out the whips ‘n chains?”

Axl’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead as Rosie sputtered next to him, turning bright red.

“OH MY GOD!”

Without missing a beat, the whole group roared back, smiles bright. “THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!”

……………………………………………..

The next morning, Rich came over to the kitchenette, leaning on a cabinet as Rosie made tea.

“Hey”

Rosie favored him with a gentle smile. “Hey right back. You feeling better today? Could I make you some more of that ginger tea?”

“Ah...,” he rubbed the back of his neck, looking down. “I, ah, just wanted to apologize again for being an asshole. I didn’t mean to give you such a hard time.” He sighed, meeting her gaze. “I’ve known Red for a really long time, and I don’t want to see him get hurt again. The way you came in, I wasn’t sure about you, what you wanted, how you’d fit in with us. But… you’re a damn nice person, and I’m glad you’re here. Axl…he has a spark now, something he hasn’t had in a real long time.”

Rosie looked a little taken aback. “You really mean it?”

“Yeah, I do. You two are disgustingly cute. Not sure if I want to hurl or cheer you on. So…truce?”

Rich held out his hand, grinning when Rosie opened her arms, offering him a hug. He stepped into it gently, smirking and letting go reluctantly when she pulled back.

“I get it now.”

She cocked her head, looking at him. “Hmm?”

“Why Axl likes you. You’re a lot more fun up close.”

Rosie snorted, giving his side a pinch before he could scoot out of the way. “And you were a lot less fun before you started being a gentleman like Slash.”

“Gonna call me a beast too?”

She chuckled. “Oh, I can think of a few names to call you, but that’s not one of them.”

Rich laughed. “That’s fair.”


	12. Storm and sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An after party at a club brings new faces and takes Axl and Rosie to a difficult confrontation.

Rose N Bud 12 – Storm and sun

………………………………

Warnings: explicit M/F, some very mild physical aggression (F on M), and a terribly self-indulgent slight re-write to an established song

…………………………….. 

Gotten ~ (Rosie’s version- changes in italics)

So nice to see your face again, tell me how long has it been, since you’ve been here

You look so different than before, still the person I adore

_Set loose from your_ fear

_Feels like it’s new but I’ve learned things from_ the past

All out of words but I _know that we can last_

\--[refrain:

I’ve been saving, these last words for, one last miracle and _now I’m so sure_

_I can save you if you just let me_ , you just get me like I’ve never been gotten before]--

Maybe it’s the bitter wind, a chill from the pacific rim, that brought you my way

Do not make me think of him, the way he touched _my_ fragile skin, haunts me every day

\--[refrain]--

[Slash solo]

So nice to see your face again, _please don’t let this ever end_ , don’t disappear

\--[refrain]--

credit Slash/Adam Levine

………………………………………………………….

“So, Rosie…” Duff gestured at her oversized cardigan, one side drooping to bare a shoulder, as they all sat around the bus’s eating area. “This your usual look?”

She blinked a moment, brows furrowing. “No. Normally I’m a fifty-foot-tall dragon. Just kinda hard to fit on the bus that way. What kind of question is that?”

“You’re just…ah…more low maintenance than we’re used to.”

Rosie raised an eyebrow, blinking slowly. “My condolences.”

The group laughed, Mel landing a punch on Duff’s arm.

“Ow, hey. I’m not trying to be insulting.”

“Lemme ask you a question.”

“Shoot.”

“You ever say that to Slash, or anyone else at this table?”

Even the lead guitarist cracked up at the comment, pushing on Duff with a wide smile.

The blonde shrugged. “Well, maybe when we had awards to go to…but yeah, no.”

“And yet beastie there pretty much always looks like he rolled out of bed and threw on whatever was on the floor and didn’t smell too bad…for the last how many decades now? And everyone else is pretty much the same, yes?”

“Hey! I wash stuff now and then.”

Rosie shot the guitarist a sardonic smile. “I am so pleased to know that. Why is it ok for all y’all, and weird for me? Be specific, and provide references.” Rosie leaned on the table top, resting her chin in her hand and smirking at the bassist.

Beside her, Mel cackled. “Roast him, honey!”

Duff looked a bit surprised for a moment before he started chuckling. “Ok, I get your point.”

“Do you?”

“You don’t like girly stuff.”

Rosie rolled her eyes. “Wrong again. I love high fashion, fine jewelry, and shapely footwear. Just as I love most of the paintings and sculptures in art galleries and museums; just as I love seeing fine architecture, or delicate flowers or breathtaking landscapes. It makes me happy to see beautiful things. I just don’t need or want to own any of it.”

Sitting across from them, Rich frowned and blinked for a moment, mind working over what she’d said.

“You don’t want to wear nice things?”

Sighing, Rosie shook her head. “Define ‘nice’ things. Not really hung up on what others would think is beautiful, or even cute.” She shrugged. “I’m past caring anymore. I’m not going to be uncomfortable or in actual pain just to approach someone else’s idea of pleasing. Kinda with Slash on that one.”

“Mel doesn’t seem to mind…”

Mel snorted, rolling her eyes, and Rosie smirked. “Mel is cementing a niche for herself in a hugely sausage-dominated industry.” The two ladies exchanged amused glances. “If she didn’t make herself look as fantastic as she does, no one would take her work seriously. I doubt any of you would have even given her a chance, or if you did, it’d be backstage somewhere, ‘cause heaven forbid a woman be seen on stage dressed as slovenly as…a guy.”

Rosie glanced pointedly at Slash, lounging in a half-unbuttoned faded flannel and jeans several stages past ‘distressed’. The others looked his way and started laughing, though they were all sporting pretty much the same look.

Axl smirked, rubbing Rosie’s knee. “I’m sure your wedding was nice though? Fancy dress? Biggest rock he could get?”

Rosie started laughing, shoulders shaking as she leaned on the table. “If I were the type to bet, I’d clean you out on that one.”

“What?”

“My wedding band…and his…just plain solid titanium. Smooth and simple, inside and out. Cost about twenty-five.”

“Twenty-five hundred? Not too shabby.”

“Oh, my freaking god. Do you actually know what anything costs? I said titanium, not platinum. That’s twenty-five dollars. Total. Each. The dress was only fifty. The whole damn wedding barely cost twenty-five hundred.”

There were several looks of surprise around the table to match Axl’s. His fell off quickly, and he put his hand over hers. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pressed.”

She shook her head, huffing a smile. “It’s ok. It’s not that we couldn’t afford more, I mean we couldn’t at first but that’s not the point. That’s just what we wanted. Nothing flashy, not made to show off, just, like the rings, solid…and durable.”

Axl gave Rosie a soft look. “Sounds perfect.”

Rosie gave a quiet snort. “The marriage? Or the ring? It’s real life, you know? Nothing’s ever perfect, but it can be pretty damn good if you care enough to work at it.”

Rich chuckled. “Words of wisdom, little lady?”

Rosie pinned him with steady stare, then glanced at Duff and winked. “Are you any good at the things you’ve worked at for the last twenty or thirty years?”

Duff caught her implication, dipping his head and smiling back. “Better now than I used to be. On all fronts.”

“That’s pretty much how it goes, yeah? Time and effort pay off, in all things.” Rosie turned a soft smile up at Axl. “Nothing worthwhile comes easy.”

……………………………………

They arrived after midnight in the next city, rolling into the hotel’s underground bay and disembarking en masse, every sound echoing harshly in the concrete cavern. Rosie had been half-drowsing, curled against Axl’s side on the bus, and the discordant noise made her cringe and shudder as she stumbled from the vehicle towards the entrance to the elevators, rubbing her eyes.

Axl walked beside her, her bags once again draped over his own. Noticing her falling behind, he turned and waited, pulling her close to kiss her cheek before starting to move.

“Not far to go, lovely lady.”

They made it up to the suite, the singer guiding his subdued charge towards the bedroom. Rosie shuffled through the door, standing off to one side, one hand wrapped across her chest, holding on to the other arm. Axl puttered around for a few minutes before coming over to chafe her arms, and plant his lips on her forehead.

“Come along, Rose, let’s call it a night.”

He shepherded her into the bathroom, giving her privacy for a few minutes. When she opened the door, he was beside her in a moment, arm around her shoulders as they walked to the bed, where she sat down on the edge.

“You got some jammies you want, or you just gonna sleep in your undershirt?”

Rosie sighed, looking down and picking at her jeans for a moment. She shrugged.

“This is…fine.”

“Alright then. You finish up and climb on in. I’m gonna get ready myself.”

Skimming down to his shorts, Axl got in, turning off the bedside lamp and moving to the center to meet Rosie as she crawled under the covers, clad in her tank top and underwear. He curled around her, gently drawing her over till she rested on his chest, their legs intertwined.

Minutes passed as his hand traveled soothingly over her shoulder and down her side, back up to brush the hair out her face and back down again in slow circles. Axl heard her breath turn ragged, felt her nuzzle closer, the arm slung over his chest holding him tighter.

“Hey pretty lady…you wanna talk about anything?”

Rosie’s breath caught for a moment, and Axl felt the slight press and slide of her cheek against his skin. He kissed the top of her head.

“That’s ok. I’m here for you, now and always.”

Her grip on him tightened, and she sniffled, rubbing her cheek against the pectoral she lay on. Slowly her hand traveled up to cup his cheek, soft fingers caressing his slightly-stubbled skin.

Laying his own hand over hers, he turned to kiss her palm, smiling gently into it. Her breath stuttered, and he felt a tickling trickle of moisture pooling where her head rested against him.

Keeping up the soothing massage, he started humming softly; gentle, melancholy melodies she could hear and feel as his chest vibrated beneath her. The night deepened around them, dull rush of the city below slowly lulling them to sleep. 

………………………..

Axl woke mid-morning, reaching for his phone to check the time and stop the alarm. There was plenty of time before they had to leave for the arena, and he sent a few texts off before turning over.

Rosie lay curled up, back towards him. He lifted up on an arm to look at her, reluctant to wake her when she was sleeping so peacefully.

As if feeling his regard, she took a breath to yawn, blinking and stretching, turning her head his way when her legs pushed against his. She flashed a pale smile, twisting around and rolling over.

He brushed her hair back behind an ear, leaning in to kiss her temple. Her eyes were a little puffy, but there was a warmth in them that had been missing the last day or so on the road.

He gave her a gentle smile. “So, Eeyore…what sort of how are you today?”

The corner of her mouth twitched, and she reached up to lay a soft hand on his cheek.

“…kind of how?”

Letting his smile grow brighter, he put his hand over hers, rubbing his bristly skin against her palm. When she squeaked and tried to pull away, he laughed, turning quickly to blow a raspberry before she could get her hand free.

The sound of her giggling lightened his heart. He couldn’t hide the deep chuckle when she wiped her wet hand on his chest only to encounter the crusty remains of her crying jag the night before, her nose wrinkling so adorably he had to swoop in and kiss it.

“Seems like I might need a rinse-off. You could join me. It could be just a shower, no pressure for anything more.”

She took a steadying breath and nodded.

“Could I have a minute before though?”

He flashed a sly smile. “What, not in to those kind of water sports?”

Her eyebrows near shot clear into her hairline, even as laughter bubbled out of her. “How about ‘hell, no’?”

“Don’t knock it till you try it…”

“We’re gonna…ah…stick a pin in that…”

“Umm, ow?”

She snorted. “…and never circle back.”

“Aww…” He stuck out his lower lip, trying for his best puppy dog eyes.

“That…” She waved at his face, straining to hold back more laughter. “…whatever that is, will not help you either.” She slid out of bed, shaking her head and chuckling as she made her way to the bathroom. 

He smiled as he watched her go, happy with the improvement in her mood, and the view. Scratching idly at his chest, his own face scrunched, and he wiped his hand off on the sheets as he got up.

He was pulling the day’s clothes out of his bag when the bathroom door reopened. He heard the shower come on, and came to the door. Rosie stood, sans clothing, adjusting the temperature.

“Whatcha gonna do if I have to go?”

She looked over her shoulder, smiling. “I don’t like to be watched, but I don’t care what you do. If you want me to leave, or just turn my back, I will.”

“Hmm…alrighty then.”

Taking her at her word, he emptied out, then climbed into the shower, hugging her from behind. She put her arms over his, tilting her head up for a kiss.

“So, pretty lady, what can I wash for you?”

She turned her face towards his neck, shrugging. “How about I do you first?”

“That’s the second time you’ve implied I’m dirtier than you.”

He felt her giggle again, body twitching against his. “Am I wrong?”

“Not hardly…” He leaned to nibble on her ear, chuckling deeply when she gasped. “…but soap can’t wash clean the parts of me that are filthy.”

“Pretty sure an enema would help with that…” she snickered.

“Oh ho! Now who’s the dirty one!” Axl pressed his fingers lightly into her sides, earning a squeal and a smack on the arm as she tried to twist away, body shaking with laughter. He let her go, supporting her so she didn’t slip in her haste.

Picking up the soap, she started lathering her hands, looking up at him with a smile. “Alright brat. Step under the spray.”

“Here I thought you didn’t like water sports…”

She sputtered, patting him on the ass as she edged around him. With a glance over his shoulder, he wiggled his butt, voice a low purr. “Harder, baby.”

Rosie’s forehead thumped into his back, the sound of her laughter bright in his ears. Soapy hands slid around his chest, scrubbing fingers focusing around his pecs, barely able to reach the center.

Working in lazy circles, she moved lower, caressing Axl’s hips. Tickling along the line of his belly, she giggled at the feel of his muscles contracting, his amused grumble rumbling under the ear she had pressed to his back.

“Tease.”

“What, this? Sweetie, you’ll know when I’m teasing.”

Slick fingers grasped his length, sliding easily over the crown, then slipping even lower to cup his sac and massage gently. His grumbling turned to a pained groan.

She only lingered a moment though, arms snaking back to soap up again, scrubbing down Axl’s back first with fingertips, then with thin fingernails, and he hummed and stretched in encouragement as he rinsed his front. Scraping gently down, her fingers traced lightly over Axl’s ass, sliding under and kneading both globes before tickling in between.

He tensed, letting loose a short yip of surprise, body bowing away from Rosie’s teasing fingers. She giggled, her fingers crawling up his sides and under his armpits, pulling some fairly undignified sounds out of him before he caught her hands and stilled their torture.

Chuckling wickedly, Axl looked over his shoulder. “My turn. Let’s get you wet, hmm?”

Rosie flushed a little, smiling as he turned around to hold her close, his lips meeting hers. After a moment he straightened up, maneuvering them both around so she had her back to him.

Moving her hair over her shoulder, he traced the lion tattoo with soapy fingers, smiling in admiration. “Such hidden depths, lovely lady.”

She glanced over her shoulder with warm eyes. “I think you’ll find I’m really quite open, to those I feel at ease around.”

With a last gentle caress down her spine, he had her turn around. Starting at her chest, he worked his way down, skimming lightly over her breasts, teasing just enough to have her nipples start firming up, humming low in his throat when she gasped.

He crouched a little, drawing fingers along the lines of the flower on her chest. Sliding down over the curve of her belly, his hands slipped lightly down her thighs and back up between them, fingers tickling the center, sliding down between her folds.

Her breath hitched, and she shuddered a little as he pulled his hand back and stood up. His smile was sharp as he pulled her close again, kissing her deeply, breaking for air with reluctance.

Brushing her hair back off her injured shoulder, he turned somber, fingertips sliding over the rough skin gently. She glanced at the healing wound as well, flashing him a pale smile.

“It’s probably going to scar.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I kinda figured.”

“If it’s something you want, I’ll help you find a good plastic surgeon, and pay for the treatment.”

With a wry smile, she shook her head. “That’s ok. I already have a plan.”

He grumbled, pulling her close. “I know you want to be independent, but I really want to help on this. The band and the venue are responsible for any care you need for that injury.”

Hugging him back, she chuckled. “I appreciate that. But I don’t think I’m gonna hit up the band to pay for a tattoo.”

“What?”

She shrugged, looking up with a smile. “When it’s healed enough, I’m just gonna get a tattoo over it. Already have an idea.”

Axl grinned back, snorting in amusement. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. So, gonna share? Or keep it a secret?”

“No big deal. Just some script wraparound that says ‘I went to a GNR concert - and all I got was shot’.”

“WHAT?!”

Rosie tried to stay serious in the face of Axl’s incredulous look, her lips twitching wildly before she broke down in giggles, burying her face against his chest as he joined her.

“Alright, wench. So, what’re you really going to get?”

She side-eyed the wound, trailing around the edges with her finger.

“A realistic rose, I think, turning the scar into a bullet hole at the center. Black and white, with drops of red tinging to pink dripping from the center. Kind of dramatic, kind of a riff on the band… Life imitates art imitates life, or some fake deep crap like that.”

Axl caressed her hand, fingertips skirting lightly along the puckered skin of the healing wound. “I don’t know, I kinda like it. That’s something I can help you with, though.”

“Hmm?”

He kissed her cheek, eyes flashing with humor. “I can hook you up with an artist. Between me and the guys, we know all the best.”

………………………….

The sound of text tones and buzzing rang through the bus on the way to the arena, everyone pulling out phones to see what the news was. Duff read his, smirking at Axl’s quiet grumbling before frowning and kicking his friend lightly under the table.

When the singer looked up, the blonde raised his eyebrows, tilting his head towards Rosie as she made her way back from the kitchenette with some tea. Axl sighed, nodding.

When the bus pulled in, Axl held Rosie back as the rest disembarked. Sensing his tension, she frowned, running her hand over his shoulder soothingly.

“Is something wrong?”

Axl shook his head. “Not exactly. We just got word that the afterparty’s been booked to a club tonight. There’ll be a number of celebrities, lots of media. That kind of crap.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” He took her hands in his, chafing them gently. “I want you to know that whatever you feel comfortable with is good with me. I have to be there, but you don’t, not if you’re not ready.”

Rosie gave him a thin-lipped smile. “Is it really that bad?”

Axl shrugged. “Kinda hard to say, I’ve been doing it so long. You get used to it. But it can be a little overwhelming. Then again, you’ll have all of us to support you, and our security. We’re not gonna rely on just the club’s goons.”

Rosie heaved a ragged breath. “Are you sure this is a good idea…for you?”

“What?”

“I’m not exactly…Rockstar girlfriend material, and I never will be. I just don’t want to see you hurt because of that.”

“What are you talking about?” Axl pulled her into a hug.

He could hear her sniffle into his shirt, her voice muted by his chest. “I can see the headlines now, ‘GNR singer steps out with a whole lotta Rosie’. It doesn’t matter to me, I’ve been dealing with it all my life. But you don’t deserve that, not after all you’ve been through.”

“Hey, no, you don’t do that.” His own throat turned thick at her words. “Don’t you dare talk that way about the woman I love.” He pulled back, catching her gaze.

“You think I care what some random assholes say about me? About us? I’m older than you, love, and I’ve been dealing with casual cruelty longer. People who don’t get it don’t matter to me in the slightest.” He bent to collect a kiss. “I’m proud to have you by my side, Rose. There’s not a moment I don’t feel honored by your love and affection.”

She sniffled again, giving him a watery smile, though her eyes shone bright. “I’ve never been to a fancy club.”

“Heh, well, you’re in for a treat. We got the VIP lounge on the top floor ‘n everything.”

“That does sound kind of cool, I guess…do you know who’s going to be there?”

“You mean, besides us?” He winked, smiling as she chuckled. “Eh, not yet. Doesn’t really matter. They’ll be all over us when we get there, have to smile for some cameras ‘n shit like that. I’m gonna have to work the crowd a little, but I’ll make sure there’s always someone with you.”

“Can it be Tom?”

He smirked down at her. “You seem to have a thing going on there…I’m not gonna have to worry about security running off with my girl, am I?”

Rosie chuckled, wrapping her arms around Axl and squeezing him tight. “No. He was just so helpful when I went shopping, and I kind of owe him for treating him like I did at the end. I did apologize, a lot, but still, this seems like a better way to thank him. I guess? I don’t know how often you do clubs like this?”

“It varies. But he’s still gonna be on the clock, so he better not be having too much fun, if you get what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do. I don’t want him distracted if I need help.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much. Only top shelf folks’ll be where we are.” Axl paused, considering, then shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll talk to Tom, make sure he’s ready for anything.”

“Oh, now I feel better.”

Axl snorted in amusement, leaning in to kiss Rosie’s cheek. “This is the Rockstar life, lovely lady. Just know you won’t be alone. Plus, if you really get overwhelmed, Tom can take you back to the bus. It might be boring but it’ll be safe and quiet. Now, on to the show, then we get a quick stop at the hotel to change and hit the club. You ready to face the world, pretty lady?”

She sighed, but her smile was stronger. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“That’s my girl.”

……………………………………..

Back at the hotel after the concert, Rosie stared at her clothes, sorted out an outfit, then shuffled everything together and sorted them out again. Axl was in the shower, just finishing from the way the sound of water had stopped.

He came out bare, ruffling his hair with a towel to get the worst of the wet out. He stopped walking to watch her for a moment, wrapping the towel around his neck and coming up behind her and pull her close.

“Having trouble?”

He could feel her sigh, and she leaned back into him.

“I just don’t want to be so…me. Not for this. But I don’t want to be something I’m not either. No one there really deserves it. No one but you.”

“You know I’d be happy even if you wore nothing at all. Scratch that, I’d be really, really happy.” He ground his groin playfully against her ass, chuckling when she snorted.

“I think the night calls for being a little more formal than that.”

“Pffft. You’ve obviously never been to one of these. Most of the ladies barely cover the essentials as it is. Coupla well-places stickers and you’re good to go.”

Rosie coughed a laugh, reaching behind her to swat at his side. “Still no. Also not making me feel any better.”

“I’m trying.” He kissed the side of her head.

“You are indeed.”

Feeling her sigh again, he looked over her shoulder at what was strewn on the bed.

“You know, I’m just wearing what I always wear. But…if you’re really lost, how ‘bout you go with that sexy-looking black top? I think it’ll go great with those tight jeans you’ve been rocking.”

Rosie tilted her head, considering, then nodded. “Ok, yeah…yeah. That’ll work.” She spun in his arms, stretching up to give him a kiss. “Thanks.”

“You know what they say…if you can’t be handsome, at least be handy.”

Rosie sputtered, pulling him down for another kiss, letting it turn deeper. When they broke for air, she was smiling up at him, grabbing his ears and shaking his head gently.

“Ah yes, the not-handsome, not a multi-millionaire, not a Rockstar of that not famous band for not several decades. Keep that up and I’ll bite you where it’ll leave a mark for real.”

Axl pulled her close against his still-naked torso, letting his smile edge toward a leer, eyebrows waggling. “Promise?”

…………………………………..

Slash let out a low whistle, and Rosie blushed, a pleased smile tweaking at her lips as she climbed on the bus. The top Axl had picked out laced up over her chest, making the most of her ample cleavage, silver chandelier earrings dusting her shoulders adding glitter.

Duff was smirking, eyes flashing approval. “Did you find a new date, Ax? Coulda sworn Rosie said she didn’t dress up.”

“Shut up.” Rosie grumbled, no real heat in her words, the rest of the group laughing at her embarrassment. Mel pushed Dizzy out of the way, bouncing over to hug Rosie tight.

“Hon, you are smokin’! Gonna get you a sugar daddy tonight?”

“Mel!” Rosie dissolved into giggles.

“Dammit Blue, what’re you tryna do with my lady?”

“What? Dressed like this, you’re gonna have some real competition, Red.”

Axl frowned, but Rosie grabbed his arm, pulling him close, shaking her head at her lady friend.

“Don’t joke, Mel. Nobody else even comes close.”

Mel held up her hands, smiling. “Alright, alright. I get it. You’re a lucky man, Red.”

Axl grinned, kissing Rosie’s forehead. “Don’t I know it.”

……………………

Arriving at the club, the bus pulled into the alley behind it, letting the band and their security detail off and right in a back door, to be whisked up to the VIP loft overlooking the throbbing dance floor. There were banners promoting the product that footed part of the venue and the night’s bill, Axl and the gang quickly shepherded over for multiple sets of pictures in a variety of arrangements, by themselves and with some particular notables.

Rosie had faded to the back when they’d made their way up to the loft, letting Tom guide her to the expansive booth being set up for the band while they were finishing up with the promotional pics. He’d already run interference when one of the club staff had tried to direct her away from the loft with haughty disdain.

With surprising swiftness, he’d placed his towering self between her and the hapless toady, sending them scurrying away with a fierce glower and an angrily growled ‘She’s with the band.’ She could feel eyes watching her from the gathering crowd of what Axl had called ‘top-shelf’ people, and she sighed, brushing her hair back and trying to look relaxed, grateful that Slash had offered a spare pair of shades.

The booths were on a raised platform, putting whoever sat there on display, but also providing an excellent view of the area set up for the shoot, despite the growing number of people milling between her and her friends. She could see the photographer was just finishing up the shots of the ‘original three’, Axl bookended by Duff and Slash.

Their smiles were almost convincing, but Rosie could tell by their posture and how they drooped between shots they just wanted it done. Then Axl glanced her way, lighting up, and she couldn’t help but grin back like a fool.

Duff caught their exchange, warmth flooding his chiseled face as he glanced back at the redhead. When Slash noticed, he laughed, tossing an arm around Axl’s neck and playfully pulling him over, the singer grabbing hold of Duff and dragging him forward.

The guy behind the camera went crazy, delighted they were giving him something to work with, his body swinging wildly as he did his best to capture their energy from every possible angle. With a bit more horseplay, the shoot finally wrapped up, the band scattering to pick their way towards the booth where Rosie was waiting, Tom standing nearby.

Here and there, celebs grabbed on to the musicians, pulling them over for pics or chattering excitedly. Rosie watched with amusement as Axl was waylaid by some lady in red, his face almost visibly snapping into a veneer of false cordiality and interest.

Mel was the first one to make it, sliding in on the far side and scooting over next to Rosie with a roll of her eyes. Dizzy, Frank and Rich weren’t far behind, groaning with relief as they sat down.

“I hate these fucking things. Half the people are pushing me out of the way to get to Red, and the other half are tryna grab my ass.” Mel groused as she grabbed at a fried cheese stick, gesturing at the rest of the food with it.

“Don’t be shy, sis. Eat something! This shit’s all on their dime anyway.”

Rosie looked over the spread, picking up a small plate and putting some carrot sticks on it. Mel snorted and tossed a few fried things on as well, laughing when Rosie hissed at her to stop.

“Don’t get all worked up, sheesh.”

“Easy for you to say. It’s not gonna look as cute on the internet if I eat like you do. I already feel like I don’t belong.”

Mel shook her head, pulling her friend into a one arm hug, turning her head to whisper in Rosie’s ear.

“I get it. I felt the same way at first, even though I earned my spot with more blood and sweat than these fawning assholes will ever understand. Don’t let it make you crazy. We all want you with us, nothing else from anyone else matters more than that.”

Rosie bowed her head, breath turned rough as she clung to her friend. Mel rubbed her back, leaning close again.

“Keep this up and they’ll say Red ‘n I are in a love triangle fighting over you.”

With a dry cough and a sputter, Rosie started shaking with laughter, smacking Mel’s knee as her friend came up with lurid headlines describing their indiscretions. An arm slipped around her waist from the other side and she flinched hard, spinning to come face to face with a concerned Axl, already sliding his hand up to rub her back gently as Mel leaned away to give them some space.

“You alright? Didn’t mean to ruin your fun.”

She shook her head, turning to wrap both arms around him, tension leeching away as quickly as it came.

“It’s ok. Mel was over here starting horrible rumors. It was fantastic.”

He chuckled, kissing her cheek. “Mel’s a terrible influence. It’s one of her best qualities.”

The blue-haired lady stuck her tongue out at Axl, and he made a kissing noise back, the two of them smiling broadly. Rosie snickered, and winked at Mel.

“That’s done it. Gonna be all over the interwebs by dawn.”

Mel winked back, grabbing another cheese stick. “Best way to fight rumors – come up with better ones.”

Axl looked at both of them with suspicion. “Do I want to know?”

Rosie made a circling motion to include Axl and Mel. “Love triangle. Over me.”

He nodded sagely. “Of course. We always did have excellent taste.” Mel nodded, raising her energy drink in a toast.

Dizzy leaned over Mel. “What’s going on now?” He grinned at Rosie. “It’s never good when these two are smiling like that.”

Mel tilted her head to give him a look of feigned innocence. “No idea what you’re talking about, Frizzy. I’m an angel.”

Frank practically roared, his deep laugh booming out. “Since when?”

“Shut it. Rosie thinks so. Don’t you?”

Dizzy cut in. “Rosie hasn’t found fake roaches in her shoes.”

“Or whipped cream gunking up her instruments.” Frank added, eyes narrowing as he glared at Mel. The keyboardist shrugged, barely hiding a sly grin.

Rosie watched the exchange with delight, leaning comfortably into Axl as he wrapped an arm around her. Lacing her fingers with his, she tilted her head up to catch his ear.

“You were right, this isn’t that bad.”

Swallowing a bite of food, he licked his lips then kissed the top of her head. “Eh, it varies. But tonight’s been not …too…bad….” The way his voice paused had Rosie looking up with a frown, then seeing him distraught, following his gaze.

The blonde lady from earlier stood in front of the booth, frown creasing her scarlet lips. Even with the pulse of the club music washing over them from below, Rosie was sure she could hear a delicate red-soled shoe tapping impatiently.

A look of misery came over Axl, and he turned to Rosie like he was facing an executioner. “Can you excuse me for a moment?”

Taking Axl’s hand, Rosie brushed a thumb lightly over his skin, nodding with a soft smile. He slumped, slipping out of the booth despondently, to stand in front of the woman.

She grabbed his arm, towing him along towards the middle of the space. Rosie watched the woman’s face with interest, seeing amusement, disbelief and anger flash across the delicate features as she and Axl talked, both of them glancing her way more than once.

Rosie saw the woman’s arms wrap around Axl’s neck, hand curling in his hair, heard Duff’s hiss and Rich swear under his breath, watched Axl turn his head, peeling himself out of the lady’s grip with a dark scowl. Tom and another security guard looked tense, both of them maneuvering towards the pair, looking at one another and the crowd gathering for a glimpse of the entertainment.

There was a sudden hush, and a resounding crack as the woman slapped Axl, tipping his hat off to skitter across the floor. Tom’s cohort stepped in between the two instantly, arms out to thwart her rushed attempt at another blow, the flash of a host of phone cameras strobing the scene.

Bouncers for the venue appeared at the woman’s side, blocking her in, swiftly whisking her away towards the lift and presumably out of the establishment. Tom bent to ask Axl a question, the singer shaking his head as he patted Tom’s shoulder, picked up his hat and walked back to the booth with a subdued air.

The rest of the group had gone quiet, watching the altercation unfold. Duff pursed his lips as Axl stood next to Rosie.

“Knew that wasn’t going to end well.”

The singer frowned, then shrugged his shoulders with a sigh. He turned to Rosie, patting her knee hesitantly, meeting her gaze for the barest moment before turning away.

“I’m gonna call it a night. You should stay and have some fun though, maybe dance a little or something.”

Rosie eyed him thoughtfully, reaching up to place a gentle hand over his injured cheek, the skin hot under her palm. Axl tensed at her touch but didn’t pull away.

“I’d rather come with you, unless you really want to be alone.”

His frown deepened, mouth opening for a moment, then closing as he shook his head. Stepping back, he offered her a hand, guiding her towards the stairs as Tom moved in front to clear the way.

Mel and the rest glanced at each other, rising almost in unison to file in behind the quiet couple and Rosie felt the heavy weight of more eyes on her than just the strangers at the club. The bus ride back to the hotel might as well have been a funeral procession.

Even Slash was silent, slumped against the seats with his arms sprawled over the back, looking almost asleep, though behind his shades, she was sure his gaze was wandering between her and Axl. Dizzy and Rich had disappeared to the back with Duff, while Mel played on her phone, Frank watching whatever she was doing with pointed interest, both of them occasionally flashing half-hearted smiles her way.

Axl led the way back to the hotel rooms, acting every bit like he was headed to the electric chair. He opened the door for her, closing it quietly and taking his hat off as she went and got the ice bucket.

“What’re you doing?”

Rosie came close, slowly stroking his arm like he was a cornered animal that might spook. The way he was eyeing her it seemed plausible.

“I’m going to get ice. It’ll help your cheek.” She opened the door, heading towards the ice maker, noticing one of the other suites had their door open as she walked past. On her way back, she could hear voices, though they got quiet as she neared.

Mel popped up at the open door, staring at her. “Everything ok in there?”

Rosie shrugged. “Far as I know. Just getting ice. G’night.”

Mel gave her a timid smile. “Night.” 

Rosie started walking again, only for Mel to call out once more.

“Rosie?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t…don’t be too hard on Red, ok? He really didn’t want that. You know?”

Rosie shook her head with a dry smile of her own. “I know, Mel. Good night.”

“Good night, sis.”

Letting herself back in the suite, she put the bucket down on the table next to Axl’s hat, going to the bathroom to get a hand towel, wrapping up a fistful of ice in it and approaching the singer slowly. He was half-sitting on the arm of the couch, arms crossed, cheek still an angry red.

He met her eyes briefly as she came to stand in front of him, placing the towel gently against his skin. He sighed, eyes closing as the ice cooled the sting, and Rosie brought her free hand up, fingers skating along his jawline and up to rub at his temple.

“Axl. Say something.”

His eyes opened, meeting her gaze with sadness, then dropping to stare at the floor.

“I’m sorry, Rose. I…” he took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “…I didn’t know for sure Kristie would be there, but I should have told you anyway.”

Looking up once more, he grimaced, sighing again. Rosie put the ice pack down, keeping herself quiet, face open and soft, waiting for him to continue.

“We were…friends with benefits. Fuck buddies. Something like that. We’d just hookup whenever we happened to be in the same place at the same time, no expectations, no conditions.”

“If there were no conditions, why did she hit you?”

Axl flashed an unhappy smile. “She texted me when she saw we were gonna be at the club. I texted back to say I wasn’t interested anymore, but she came anyway…and I told her it was over. She…wasn’t happy to hear it…or see why.”

Unfolding himself, he met her gaze more steadily. “Rose, I’m so sorry.” His hands went to her arms, rubbing lightly. “I don’t want to lose you. I didn’t mean to do this to you.”

She huffed a little. “I already know that I’ll only have a part of you, that I will always have to share you with your music, your band, your audiences, and that’s ok, that’s your passion and it’s beautiful and it’s what makes you, you. It’s part of what I love about you. But if what I can give you is not enough, if you feel you need more bodies in your bed than just me, you need to let me know now, so I can decide if what little part of you I get after you’ve given everyone else their share is enough for me to stay.”

“No, gods, no, Rose. I don’t need her, Kristie…it was just sex, and… maybe a little relief from being alone all the time. It wasn’t ever meant to be serious. You…are so much more than that to me.”

“Are you sure? I need you to be honest with me. Because I…don’t love halfway. I don’t do casual hookups. I don’t know how to give anything less than all of me. If you really meant forever, you need to tell me what that looks like to you.”

Axl pulled back, breath ragged, eyes blinking as he swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to get his throat to work. Reaching for her hands, he brought them to his lips, tears slipping out the corner of his eyes.

“Rose…I only want you. I won’t lie, or hide what I’ve done. I’ve fucked a lot of women over the years…. Before I met you, I was alone, for so fucking long. I…I did what I had to, to keep going, to not be so empty.” His voice was rough and raw as wet concrete, and he kissed her hands again. “It’s not like that anymore. The way I feel now, the way you look at me…” he bent his head, steadying himself “…I want to be the man I see in your eyes. For no one else but you.”

Rosie gently pulled her hands free, cupping Axl’s face and tilting it to kiss his tears away, her lips soft as petals on his eyelids, against his cheeks, against his own lips, pressing feather-light, capturing his upper lip to give a playful squeeze between her own. He opened his eyes to meet hers, desperate hope meeting warmth and understanding.

With a wet gasp he threw his arms around her, pulling her into a fierce hug, burying his face against her neck, tremors racking him as he tried to regain control. She stroked his hair, light fingers caressing his back as they stood wrapped around each other.

Axl lifted his head, wiping at his eyes and nose. In the quiet room, Rosie’s grumbling stomach sounded loudly, and he leaned back to look her in the eyes, chuckling slightly.

Rosie giggled too, looking a little sheepish, when Axl’s stomach rumbled even louder. She sputtered, he coughed, then both of them were laughing hard, holding on to each other, tension broken.

When the moment passed, they both took a breath, Axl dipping his head to lay a gentle kiss on Rosie’s forehead.

“So…I’m…forgiven?”

“For what?”

Axl frowned, his eyebrows crinkling. “…for…having relationships with other women?”

“Since you met me?”

“…before? And…not calling them off sooner.”

“Are you seriously seeking forgiveness for having a life before we met? Pretty sure I did too. Did you hurt them?”

He shrugged, sighing deeply. “I…wasn’t as…kind as I could have been. But not physically, not even emotionally, really, if that’s what you mean.”

“Are you gonna break up with me by text?”

“…no?”

“You seem unsure. Do you need time to consider?”

“NO! I mean…” he shook his head. “I don’t plan to ever break up with you. So no, no texts. No breaking up, not if I have anything to say about it.” He scrunched his nose. “Wait, that sounded creepy, didn’t it? I mean, I don’t plan on there ever being a reason to break up?”

Rosie laughed, wrapping her arms around Axl’s waist and leaning her head on his chest, hands snaking down to pat his butt. “It’s ok, brat. I get your point. There’s nothing, not before, not tonight, that you need to be forgiven for.”

He hugged her back, kissing the top of her head and sighing. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“Atone, apparently.”

Rosie’s stomach growled again and Axl snorted. “Wanna get some take out? Least I can do is provide for my woman.”

“’Your woman’? Buddy, you are one ‘little lady’ away from singing soprano permanently.”

“Ensure my lady is cared for?”

“Slightly better. Keep trying.”

He looked down at her with a smirk. “Wench, you want grub, or not?”

She smiled merrily. “There we go!” She patted his cheek approvingly. “And hell, yes.” He cackled as he pulled out his phone, pulling her close to his hip with the other arm.

“Hey, there’s a burger joint nearby. Got shakes too. You down?”

“At this point I’d sell my mom to Satan for a cheeseburger.”

Laughing, he tapped out their orders, then pulled Rosie around to plop down on the couch proper, where she landed on his lap with a squeak.

“Can I interest you in cheap takeout and an awful tv movie? I mean, it’s no trendy club with fancy cuisine, but…”

Curling up in his arms, she pulled him in for a kiss. “You had me at ‘cheap takeout’.”

They spent what was left of the evening heckling low budget eighties movies and stuffing themselves on the best greasy burgers and thick milkshakes they’d had in a while. By the time the second movie was wrapping up, Rosie was sinking into the couch with drooping eyes, Axl not far behind.

Realizing the end credits were rolling past his hazy vision, Axl turned to Rosie, rubbing her shoulder, urging her up.

“Looks like time to crash, lovely lady. Come on.”

Getting ready and climbing into bed, he watched as Rosie came out of the bathroom, swaying tiredly. She took off her earrings, sliding out of boots and jeans, and looked down at her top, a little furrow between her eyebrows.

With a shrug, she skimmed out of the top, and the lacy bra beneath, sliding in next to Axl in nothing but her undies. With a warm hum, he turned off the lamp and pulled her close, dozing off with the delightful feel of her softness pressed against him.

……………………..

The sun was nearly halfway up the sky before either one of them stirred; Rosie first, stretching and rolling over to curl as best she could around Axl’s back, nuzzling his ear and wrapping one arm around his chest. She felt him take a deep breath and yawn, his own hand finding hers.

He turned his head, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. “Guess last night didn’t scare you off then?”

Harrumphing softly, she nipped at his ear, chuckling when he squeaked in surprise. “I won’t say I don’t care about your past, but the details are only relevant if they impact us here and now. And I trust you to tell me if they do.” She kissed where she’d bit, sucking gently, then kept going, lips trailing along his neck, teeth grazing skin while he squirmed, gooseflesh popping up all down his arm. He lifted it, waving at it with the other dramatically.

“Do you see what you’re doing to me, wench?”

He felt her chuckle again, soft breasts pressing against his back. “You want me to stop?”

“Hell, no.” His voice rumbled with laughter. “Keep going.”

Trailing her fingernails down his side with a feathery touch left him twitching, and he rolled over to scoop her up and kiss her breathless. Propping himself up with an arm, he paused, gazing admiringly down at the half-dressed and drowsy beauty that lay before him, joy painting her features.

With deliberate care, he leaned over her, sliding a leg between hers, feeling her breath catch as he brought his lips to hers, slow and languid, heat building between them. Kissing along her jawline, he nibbled gently, smiling as she twitched and pressed her body up, his deep voice all but purring in her ear.

“I did say I’d kiss you all over…if you’d like me to?”

He dipped his head down, laying a slow trail from ear to collar and then to breast, sucking lightly, tongue making lazy circles on soft skin, curling around a nipple rising quickly to a tight peak. Rosie gasped, hands reaching out to tangle in Axl’s hair, pull him close as she arched, chest heaving.

Despite her grasp, he pulled up easily to meet her gaze, his own eyes blown nearly as dark as hers.

“Rose?”

Catching her breath, she smiled warmly, pulling him back down with a happy hum. “Please.”

With a wicked smile, he bent over her again, laving attention on the neglected breast, suckling tenderly till it too was stiff, Rosie whining and squirming beneath him. Taking her hand, he nibbled softly on the inside of an elbow, delighting in the way she squeaked and wiggled, pushing at his head and laughing, when his attention to sensitive skin became too much. 

With a quiet chuckle, his hands roamed downward, pausing only a moment to tickle lightly on her hip. When her body jerked in response, he hooked a finger in her underwear, slipping it partway down.

Catching her eye, his light finger brushed along the bottom of her belly, her stomach flexing and jiggling slightly as she sucked a shallow breath in. Leaning up, he drew her into another kiss while he worked her panties down further, smiling when her hips lifted, legs shifting to help get the undergarment off.

His hand drew a slow path back up a leg, feeling her shudder as he closed in on his prize. Fingers drew lightly across her mound as he started working his way down, kissing and suckling along her neck, to her breast, and across her stomach, nestling finally between her legs.

Axl glanced up, eyes roaming over the gentle curves and rise of Rosie’s body, watching her chest heave shallowly, breasts tilting, nipples stiff. His eyes met hers and she took in a ragged breath, eyes hooded and face flushed, nodding at him as she ran light fingers through his short locks.

Delight blossomed on his face, and he slid his fingers under her ass, thumbs spreading her nether lips wide before he dove in. Lips and tongue sought sensitive flesh, and Rosie’s eyes rolled back as she keened, legs already trembling.

With wicked intent, he licked her clit in light, feathery passes, teasing and taunting as she writhed under his far-too-gentle assault. Around him, he felt her toes curl and flex against his sides, her hands griping the sheets, his hair, stretching to grab at the headboard to buck up at his maddening mouth, the air filled with her mewls of denied release.

His elbows parting her thighs, he shifted his hands to press down on her hips as he dove in with renewed relish, now sucking lightly, now thrusting a sharpened tongue deep. The reward was quick and fierce, Rosie bucking wildly against his hold as she moaned in labored gasps, lifting to curl around him, hands shaking as they grazed his scalp.

As she dropped back onto the pillows and panted for breath, he glanced up, smiling around his still-busy tongue. Leaning heavily across one of her thighs, he slid three fingers of his free hand into her slick and juicy cunt, kneading along the forward wall with firm pressure, sucking gently on the achingly sensitive tissue of her clit and outer lips.

Her soaring wail nearly undid him, the feel of her contracting around his fingers sending all his blood south, leaving him diamond-hard and longing for more than just the mild friction his shorts and the bedspread provided. He felt her body coil, muscles locking up, vibrating around him as she rose to another crest, tipping over with a strangled cry, hips thrashing under him through her release.

Axl kneeled up when her spasms subsided, to wipe his face and stroke himself with well-slicked fingers, aching cock bobbing hungrily. With a pained sigh, he moved up to lay next to Rosie as she turned his way, body dewy with sweat and nearly glowing in satisfaction.

She glanced up at him with half-lidded eyes, slipping arms up to pull him close, kiss him deep till they both broke away to gasp for air. With an impish smile, she snaked an arm down, to grasp and stroke, humming as she watched him suck in a hard breath, hips rocking of their own volition.

“Rose...”

He opened his eyes when she stopped; anguished need and resigned restraint warring in his gaze. With a gentle hand, she pushed against his chest, guiding him up to recline against the headboard.

Slowly sitting up, she curled her legs under her, gazing at Axl with a tender smile, letting her hands drift over his skin. His breath hitched as her fingers drifted lower, and he watched with rising hope as she shuffled backwards, easing his underwear down and off, always touching, always stroking, maneuvering herself over and then between his legs.

Her fingers slid up his muscular thighs, kneading, pinching gently to make him twitch, finally meeting at the apex, to glide over soft belly and narrow hips. She glanced at him, running both hands up his rigid cock and back down to cup his sac, pulling a low, grinding groan from his lips.

His chest heaved; hands fisting the sheets tight as their eyes met. She tilted her head to look down, lick her lips and meet his gaze once again, sly smile belying the faint blush on her cheek, and he growled in response.

“Oh, fuck yes. Please, Rose, anything you want…”

Axl’s eyebrows rose as Rosie’s head sank down, and she looked his way once more, eyes bright as she stretched out, her warm breath tickling the curly red hair framing his stiff dick. When her tongue darted out to lick gently at his crown, he gave a needy whine, arms shaking with the effort of keeping his hips still.

Settling in on her elbows, her fingers played lightly along his length, massaging his sac, her tongue dancing teasingly along the ridged vein, lips closing over the top. Her agonizing attention ripped panting growls from his throat, his hands white-knuckled gripping the headboard behind him as she toyed with him.

“Rose, please…!”

Peeling his eyes open, he pleaded for release from the sweet torture she laved on his throbbing dick, chest heaving with strained breaths. She met his gaze, pinning him with such a sinful look his throat went dry, body going still in awe.

He watched with shameless wonder as she took him in down to the root, till her lips were tight at his base. She swallowed against him, tongue pressing firmly along his length, and his eyes rolled back, high keen rising out of him.

She slid her mouth up, sucking him back in fully several times, tongue rolling and fluttering as she went, until his whole body was coiled tight, thighs quivering against her shoulders.

Hanging by a fingernail on the precipice, it was all he could do to grunt out a warning. Wicked, knowing fingers slipped under and behind his sac, to roll solidly up into soft flesh as her throat closed around his length once more.

With a hoarse shout, climax hit him with blinding force, his hips bucking so hard with release they lifted off the bed, taking her with them. Barely pausing a beat, she chuckled around his length, throat working still, wringing every drop out of him, and he whined and shook at the feel of it.

Completely drained, he twitched and jerked as over-sensitivity hit, his hands reaching to lift that delightfully debased mouth off his dick before he lost what little was left of his mind. Rosie smiled wickedly as she set him free, tongue lapping against his spent length to the last.

Still gasping for breath, he gazed down in hazy happiness, hands reaching to encourage her upward. With a bright smile, she crawled up to lay atop him, kiss him breathless, and lay her head on his chest as he recovered, cuddling her close.

All too soon, the buzz of his phone broke them out of their reverie, and they both sighed as he reached for it. Thumbing through the host of messages, he made a rude noise, though a smile was pulling at his lips.

“Hmm?”

“Fucker asking if you need an alibi, and a body bag.”

Rosie snorted in amusement, brushing her hand idly through his hair. “They were worried, I understand. I know how serious it could have been.”

He kissed her forehead, squeezing her tight then letting go so she could get up as he moved to do the same. “I know you do. You’re far better than I deserve, lovely lady.”

“I’m not in the habit of giving myself to those who don’t give back.” She pulled him in for quick kiss. “You offer more than you give yourself credit for.”

He smiled softly as she made her way to the bathroom, shooting back a reply to Slash’s comments before joining her in the shower.

They were the last to get on the bus, the mood subdued as they climbed aboard. The whole band looked up as they came in, meeting their arrival with cautiously hopeful smiles.

Duff was the first to relax, taking in Axl’s easy smile and the way the couple held on to each other. He gave Rich a playful shove. “Told ya.”

Rich grumbled for a second, pushing back, then slumping into the seats with a sigh and a smirk. “Wasn’t worried.”

Dizzy, Frank and Mel turned bright smiles towards the pair.

“Looking good, sis.”

Rosie coughed a laugh, blush tinging her cheeks. “Feeling good, Mel.”

At that, any tension was gone, chatter starting back up as Axl took the bags upstairs and Rosie made tea for them both. They gathered back with the rest to enjoy some breakfast, and Slash pulled his shades down low, eyes bright with humor as he caught Rosie’s glance.

“No…’bug’ bites today?”

Rosie stared back at him with a smirk. “Not where you’re likely to see them, beastie.”

Next to her, Axl choked on his tea as the group dissolved in laughter.

………………………………………

Deep in the soft, dark hours before dawn, Rosie lay tossing and turning again. Giving up on sleep, she rubbed her eyes and padded down the stairs to the bathroom.

Coming out, she was drawn to the sounds of a guitar, soft chord progressions that rippled out, then paused, then started up again. Curious, she peeked around the kitchen area to find a shirtless Slash sprawled on the seats, acoustic guitar on his lap, fingers idly picking out riffs.

He grinned when he saw her, and motioned her closer. Sitting down, she saw he had a notebook on the table, rough script, notations and even a few doodles scrawling over the pages.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you, I can go back upstairs.”

“Nah, you’re good.” His warm umber eyes met her somber ones. “Trouble sleeping?”

One side of her lips twitched in a wry smile. “What tipped you off? The fact that it’s past four?”

He strummed the guitar, soft notes filling the air with melancholy. “Seems like you have more trouble on the road then when we’re docked somewhere. That’s all.”

Rosie grumbled. “Awfully perceptive of you.”

Giving a deep chuckle, his fingers danced over the strings again. “What’d you say ‘bout the quiet ones…?”

“Shut up.”

Flashing white teeth, he let the guitar laugh for him, notes lilting out in clear amusement. She focused on the instrument, staring raptly as his fingers pulled at the strings, and his smile turned gentle.

She curled up quietly on the seat as he noodled around with some riffs and melodies he’d been working on for a while, her eyes taking on a slow-blinking thousand-yard stare as she listened without interruption. He lost track of time, filling the greying pre-dawn with musical translations of memories and feelings, some his, some of those around him, falling into an easy rhythm of strumming, writing, and strumming again.

The rising sun prompted him to pause his work, and he decided to reward his quiet audience with something familiar, rolling gently into the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ intro, eyes bright with humor as he watched her head tilt, blinking gaze lock on the guitar, soft smile blossoming on her face.

“Go ahead, put your hand on it.”

“What?”

“Put your hand here.” He tapped the back curve of the body. Scooting closer, she touched it with tentative fingers.

She jumped when his strong hand grasped hers, laying it flat against the instrument. With a pat and a wink, he started to play.

The strains of the Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’ started, Rosie letting out a happy gasp when she recognized it. Her hand stayed glued to the guitar, eyes closing, lost in the sound and the feel of the vibrations under her hand.

Slash watched her, smile growing on his face. She seemed to lose herself in the music, relaxing completely, head tilted to listen, breath slow and steady.

When he finished, she came out of her reverie with a glowing smile. Her hand came up off the instrument, flapping gently, her breath fast in her exhilaration.

“That was amazing!”

Her enthusiasm left him grinning. “You ever play?”

She looked up, startled out of her excitement. “No…not at all. I did look it up once, just enough to kind of get a sense of how one works. But the one time I tried, the tips of my fingers went numb for, like, three days.” Slash bust out laughing, and she made a face at him. “I’d only played for a few minutes! That’s not a good sign!”

He lifted the guitar off his lap, gesturing at her. “Come over here, let me show you something.”

She hesitated, biting her lip, slight flush on her cheeks though her gaze was stuck on the instrument. Slash’s snort of amusement made her jump.

“Chill, girlie. Firm no, remember? Come sit, it’ll be worth it, you’ll see.”

She flashed him a smirk. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

“All the ones I think are worth it, doll.”

“Beast.” Rolling her eyes, she slid over till she was nestled between his legs, glad he couldn’t see her flush deepen. Slash brought the guitar across her lap, angling it so it sat properly, holding a pick out in a large, callused hand.

“Now, you hold the pick tight, just below the tip.” She picked it up in her right hand, and he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I see somebody’s had experience…”

She sputtered, body convulsing against his with laughter. “You are literally the worst.”

“Plenty of reviews to the contrary, babe. Now, I’m gonna put my left hand on the neck, and you lay your fingers on top of mine, just how I have them.” Once she did, he wrapped his other hand around her right, moving it in and giving an experimental strum, chuckling when she gasped.

“Move your fingers up.” His voice was laced with humor as he wiggled his left hand. It was a stretch for her, when her fingertips were even with his, her palm was halfway past his lower knuckles, thumb barely able to bend over the edge. “Good enough, just keep ‘em tight on mine.”

He strummed the strings once more.

“You ready?”

When she nodded, he rolled into a leisurely version of ‘Patience’, his deep voice humming along with the whistled intro. With her back to him, he could feel her breath speed up, shiver of excitement flitting through her.

She joined as the song hit the first set of lyrics, voice soft and low, vibrating through her where they touched. Movement caught his eye, and he lifted his head to see Axl standing back, leaning on the same cabinet Rosie had, watching them with a wistful smile.

He winked at the singer, who nodded back, smile getting brighter. Axl waited till the song was nearly over, Rosie on the last few lines, to move closer, standing in front of the pair.

“…ooh I need you, oh I need you, ooh this time…”

Opening her eyes, she saw Axl standing nearby. Lighting up like a Christmas tree, she flashed him a blinding smile, free hand shaking with excitement, eyes shining with such delight all Axl could do was grin happily back.

“Sounded pretty good there.”

“Slash is showing me! This is so cool!”

She felt the guitarist laugh behind her. “She’s doing great. Gonna replace me any day now.”

“Careful, fucker. I just might.”

“Anytime, old man. This’s just my day job.”

With a quick gasp, Rosie turned her head to whisper excitedly in Slash’s ear. He nodded with a grin. “Sure, babe. I got you.”

He took hold of her pick hand, and she laid her hand over his on the guitar neck, sliding her fingers forward again. Axl watched curiously as Slash started picking out the intro to ‘Gotten’.

She started singing right on cue, running through the song without a hitch. Behind her, Slash kept frowning at odd moments, head tilted as he listened to her.

It had been a while since Axl had heard the song, the words seeming more hopeful and tender than he recalled. Rosie kept her eyes on him, singing with such sweetness and light, his heart wanted to burst.

The song ended, and Rosie lifted her hands, dancing in the seat and patting at Slash to let her go. He chuckled as he moved the guitar out of the way, and she bounced up, practically leaping into Axl’s waiting arms, collecting a deep kiss.

Breaking for air, Axl laughed, happiness bubbling up as he set Rosie down. “Was all that just for me? It was fantastic.”

Rosie nodded, smiling brightly at his praise.

“Think our little lady messed with my lyrics.”

Her eyes got wide, and she looked over her shoulder sheepishly. “Sorry!”

“Nah, don’t be. You did good.”

Axl shook his head with a look of amazement. “You changed the words for me, too? Now I’m really impressed.”

“See old man? I don’t have to worry; she’s gunning for your job.”

“Shut it, fucker. We’re gonna be a team.”

“Oh, shit. Now I’m scared.”


	13. Heat wave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie deals with a ghost from her past...and Axl helps her out

Rose n Bud 13 – Heat wave

…………………….

Warnings – explicit M/F sex

………………………  
It was just after a late breakfast when Axl got the call, frowning as Jimmy’s number popped up on the screen. Everyone was relaxing around the table, Rosie curled into Axl’s side, his arm around her shoulders.

Axl sighed, tossing the phone on the table and pressing the speaker.

“Whazzup, asshole?”

“Hey, Ax…I coulda sworn you said your little friend was nothing, and here I wake up to pics of her on your lap, plastered all over the internet…right alongside Kristie smacking the shit out of ya.”

Frowning, Axl took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Rosie patted his chest, flashing him an amused smile when he glanced her way.

“Eh…so maybe I didn’t tell you everything…”

A loud snort exploded through the phone speaker. “Gee, ya think? So… who exactly is this mystery tail? Looks a little older than your usual MO. And…wider.”

“Motherfucking jackass. Watch your fucking tongue.” Axl’s scowl was ferocious. “Allow me to introduce you to Rosie, the light of my life. Say hello, Rosie.”

Rosie’s lips twitched, her eyes flashing with humor, and she responded with her best husky ‘phone sex operator’ voice. “Hello, Rosie.”

Axl’s scowl cracked into a smile as he shook his head, the rest of the band grinning and chuckling softly.

“Hello…Rosie? You’re kidding me. Wait…you have me on speaker? Fuck, man. Sorry, miss.”

Rosie rolled her eyes. “Sorry for what? Haven’t heard you say anything inaccurate yet.”

“…ah…oh. Ok. Um…Ax…we’re ah…gonna need a bio, some kind of backstory. Don’t have to tell you what kind of stories are floating around already.”

“You kinda do, since that’s your motherfuckin’ job. Spill.”

There was a dry cough. “Well, nothing too bad, really. Sympathy for you, clearly Kristie was the aggressor. Good job on that, by the way. Not gonna have to worry about anything in court.”

“And what about Rosie?”

“Ah…well…wait, is that really her name?”

“Close enough. And stop stalling.”

“…a bit mixed? Seems to be settling into two camps – ‘you look happy’ or ‘they look cute’ and ‘Who does that…um, heavy…um, lady… think she is’ coupled with ‘of course he’d settle for that, look at him now’. There was a few pics that I think happened after Kristie – one where Rosie’s reaching for you, and the two of you leaving the club? Those got mostly good reactions, they liked the way you both were treating each other. Man, though, you and the whole band have been practically headlining the web for half the day, the video of you and Kristie is still getting hits and shares, Guns music interest is peaking again…everybody’s books ‘n interviews are trending up… sucks you got bitch-slapped but it’s been damn good for business.”

Axl snorted dryly. “You’re fuckin’ welcome. Tell me what we pay you for again?”

It got quiet on the other end of the line. “…to manage your image? And keep tabs on all your social media so you don’t have to?”

Rosie cut in, crisp and business-like. “You seem unsure. When was the last time your contract was reviewed? Perhaps the terms aren’t clear enough.”

“…um…Axl? Buddy?”

Laughter broke out around the table. Duff patted Rosie on the back with an approving smile, while Axl kissed her forehead. “I dunno, Jimmy. Think she’s got a point. She’s more educated than I am, could be I missed something.”

“She…wait…what? How’d you…?”

“You’re more than welcome to use my business media page for your bio. I will warn you though, nothing official will get posted about myself or my family without my approval.”

“Ax? Is that right?”

“You heard the lady, Jimmy. No different than my terms. She gets final say.”

“Alright…we’ll put something together and have it over in an hour. Nice talking with you, Rosie.”

“I’d like to say the same, Jimmy, but the jury’s still out. You need to show me what you can do.”

“You’ll like it, I promise! Bye, Ax!”

Axl ended the call, sighing again as he picked up the phone and stuffed it in his pocket. With a smirk and a raised eyebrow, he turned towards Rosie.

“‘Hello, Rosie’? Where the hell did that come from?”

Rosie coughed a short laugh, poking his tummy. “…you know exactly where that came from. You can’t expect to feed me a straight line like that without consequences.”

“You implying I’m old?”

“Nope. Stating outright.”

“Ouch. She’s got you, Red.”

“Shut it, ya blonde bastard. You’re no spring chicken either.”

“Still younger than you.”

“By like, two years.”

“Spare me. Y’all’re arguing like a bunch of retirees on the front porch. Someone missing their rocking chair?”

Squinty-eyed faces turned towards Mel as she sat there with a smug smile, eyes twinkling.

“Hrmm…when nine hundred years old you be, rock as good, you will not, hmm?”

Frank made a choking sound, smile splitting his face at Rosie’s teasing and frog-like voice. Axl grinned down, giving her a squeeze as laughter broke out around the table, even Mel joining in, though she teased right back.

“Says you. I’ll be fuckin’ fabulous.”

…………………………………..

A while later, Axl’s phone buzzed for what seemed like the millionth time. Checking it, he grunted, passing it over to Rosie to read.

“What? All that back and forth over the last few hours for ‘seen in Lux nightclub with girlfriend Rose, a widow from the Midwest.’ That’s it?”

Axl laughed. “What were you expecting? Now everybody in the world knows your name. Your profiles are gonna be deluged. You’ll see why Jimmy wanted your sign-ons. This is where he really earns his money – managing this crap so we don’t have to.”

“Yeah, I get it. I see my stuff is getting a whole lot of action, at least on the coupla things they can find. The really personal ones aren’t really tied to anything else, and were set on private from the start.”

“You sure about that? You follow any of us? I couldn’t find you when I looked.”

Rosie smiled. “Well…yes, but not under anything anyone would recognize.”

“That’s what you think. You haven’t met the real stalkers yet.” Axl pulled up his twitter. “So, what’s your handle?”

Rosie looked amused. “You can’t tell? See, that’s the whole point.”

“What, that you’re a stalker too?”

“No, that I wasn’t trying to interact, or creep on anybody’s family life. That’s why I only followed the accounts that posted mostly non-personal-life stuff. Like bizarre horror, or railing at the corrupt administration.”

Slash’s head snapped up, a smirk blooming. “You like it?”

Rosie shrugged, raising a hand to tilt it. “Eh, some. Some just looks like vintage porn novel covers or movie posters. Like the animal postings though. And anything actually music related.”

The smirk became a wicked grin. “How would you know what vintage porn novel covers look like?”

“I’m sure you can work that out for yourself.”

Duff chuckled. “Su’s asked about you, you could hit up her profile.”

“I feel like I should probably meet her in person first.”

“That’s gonna be a while, and I know she’d like to get to know you. Lemme introduce you with a group text, ok?”

“Umm, ok. I guess…”

“What, too old for texting?”

Rosie raised a shoulder, not meeting Duff’s eyes. “It’s not that…I just... Isn’t she a supermodel? I’m like, the total opposite of that. What would we even talk about?”

Duff laughed. “What do you mean? Just talk about whatever you talk about with your lady friends.”

She frowned, staring at the floor. “I didn’t have any till now.”

Axl tilted his head, watching Rosie. Mel noticed her withdrawal too, breaking in to the conversation.

“She’s cool like us! You’ll see, Su is such a great person. I mean, she’s put up with this idiot just about forever, so you know she can’t be all bad.”

“Excuse the fuck outta you.”

“You know I’m right.”

“I mean, yeah, but still, fuck you.”

Mel stuck out her tongue at Duff, turning back to Rosie with a laugh. “Anyway. If we can get along, you and Su can get along, I’m sure of it. She knows the industry as well as any of us, and she’s had her own businesses, so she can offer advice with your email stuff too.”

Rosie looked up at Mel, scrunching her face skeptically. Mel winked, giving her friend a hopeful smile.

“Alright.” Rosie sighed, shaking her head.

Axl rubbed her shoulder. “Su’s sweet, really.”

“I’m sure she is. That wasn’t even in question. I’m…just used to just being my little scruffy ogre self, alone in my swamp. Now there’s so many people…I’m a little whelmed.”

Duff reached over, putting a large hand on hers. “It’s ok, Rosie. We get it. Su knows what it’s like to get pulled into this mess, and she’s taken great care with our kids, making sure they eased into the spotlight when they were ready. She can help you, too.”

“You really think she’d even want to?”

“Anytime you’re ready.”

“Come on, my little Fiona, step out of the swamp for a little while. You’ll like it.” Axl laughed, kissing her forehead.

Rosie gave him a side-eye. “Fiona was the one with red hair.” There were laughs from around the table.

Axl chuckled again. “You’re much too pretty to be an ogre though.” He got a gleam in his eye. “But I know what to do for Halloween…you like Halloween parties, right?”

“Don’t think I’ve ever had one like you’re probably thinking of, but yeah. I’m all for dressing up when it’s costumes and not just regular fancy.”

Axl smiled brightly. “Fuckin’ awesome. I love being green.”

…………………………………..

There were several packages waiting in the suite when Axl and Rosie got in late that night. Rosie looked them over, Axl handing over a pocket knife so she could open them up, pulling out the new laptop and assorted paraphernalia and looking it over.

“Looks like you’ll have something to keep you busy tomorrow?” Axl watched her unbox everything, happy to see her excited.

She smiled up at him as she put everything together, plugging stuff in so it’d be charged up and ready in the morning.

“Yeah! Duff already sent me the link to get into my new mailbox, and he notified the mail readers to forward finance related stuff my way. I only hope I can actually help; I don’t want to steer anybody wrong, not when their livelihoods depend on making good decisions.”

Coming around the table, he pulled her into a hug. “Don’t get too stressed, sweet lady. There’s plenty of us made some pretty terrible choices all along the way. Anything you do to help new folks avoid even some of that is good.”

“I understand. But I really want to help, more than just a little.”

“And it’s wonderful that you do.” He kissed her forehead. “Just remember your audience. As a group, we’re not known for listening to good advice, about anything. Don’t let it discourage you.”

She wrapped her arms around his middle, squeezing tight and nuzzling into his chest. “Fair enough. If I find anyone being too thick-headed, I’ll just set you after ‘em.”

Axl snorted. “What the hell good will that do?”

“Well, you know…if you can’t be a good example, you can at least be a horrible warning…”

“WENCH!” he roared, diving in to nip at an ear and down her neck to work a sucker mark at the base. She squealed and smacked him playfully on the arm, half-heartedly trying to pull away.

They broke apart, laughing between kisses.

“Ready to go to bed, lovely?”

“Go to bed, or to sleep?”

“Hmm…” Axl’s eyes glittered, and he leaned in again to lay soft kisses along Rosie’s jaw, his hands sliding down to cup her ass and pull her closer. “Lady’s choice.”

Rosie bit gently on Axl’s earlobe, earning a quiet hiss and twitch from her lover. She stepped back, moving towards the bed. “Sleep.”

Axl’s eyebrows shot up, his mouth falling open as he watched her turn her back and take off her shirt. Looking over her shoulder, she smirked, tossing the garment at his face with a laugh. “Eventually.”

He sputtered, pulling it off and removing his own, dropping both on the couch as he went to join her. She slid off her jeans just as he did, the two of them pulling the bed covers back and laying down, curling up against one another.

They started kissing again, moving closer, legs entwining. Axl hugged Rosie tight, his hands sliding down her back, chuckling when she hummed and stretched into the gentle massage.

He dug his fingers in a little harder on her lower back, and she groaned, wrapping her arms around his neck, nestling into the crook of his shoulder. The soft, happy noises she made as he kept rubbing, the feel of her breasts pressed against him, lit a gentle warmth in him, not just desire, though that low heat was banked, waiting for the slightest nudge to spark to life.

With a quiet hum of his own, he turned, pulling her with him as he rolled back, so she was sprawled halfway atop his chest. She readjusted herself, relaxing and making quiet little grumbles of relief as he continued working the kinks out of tense muscles. 

By the time his hands were on her shoulders and neck, her breathing had evened out, and he smiled as he watched the steady rise and fall of her back. His touch turned lighter, soft caresses in lazy circles moving ever slower till he stilled, settling on a gentle embrace and kissing the top of Rosie’s head, content to enjoy the moment of peace and the warm weight of the angel draped atop him.

…………………….

Heavy knocking woke the two of them up the next day, both groaning in unison as Duff’s voice came through loud and clear from the hallway.

“Get up, you two! The bus is ready and we’re due for the arena in half an hour!”

Axl grunted, sitting up and finally seeing the time.

“Fuck! Keep your shirt on bastard, we’ll be out in a minute.”

“I’m timing it!”

“FUCK OFF! We’ll be there!”

Heaving a sigh, Axl looked over at Rosie with a lopsided smile as she yawned and stretched.

“Crap, I’m sorry. I forgot to set the alarm last night. We got no time for anything now but getting up and out.”

She sat up, wrapping her arms around his middle and kissing his nose.

“It’s alright, we’ll figure something out one of these days.”

Axl made a show of looking down with a wicked smile, bringing his hands up to cup her breasts, thumbs teasing her nipples stiff. With a soft groaning hum, Rosie’s eyes slipped closed.

“Maybe tonight?”

She cracked an eyelid, sultry smile painting her lips. “You might be on to something there.”

“Oh, you’ll know when I’m on to something, sexy lady.” Axl purred, dropping a kiss on her lips, his hands slipping down her sides to clutch her hips, fingers splaying to knead the globes of her ass.

Both their phones started buzzing, and Axl grumbled, swearing under his breath. Rosie chuckled, pulling free and sliding off the bed, heading for the bathroom.

“Reel it back in, tiger. Time to get to work.”

“I took this gig so I didn’t have to work.”

Rosie’s snort echoed in the large bathroom. “How’s that going for ya?”

“Eh, fuck you.”

There was quiet from the bathroom, and Axl swallowed dryly, shuffling as he glanced at the open door. Rosie came out and leaned against the doorframe with a smirk.

“Not yet, apparently.”

………………………………………………

It was shortly before the opening act went on, the arena was filling up, the crowd buzzing with excitement. With the stage set up there wasn’t much for the band to do but hang around and chat.

Tom came walking up to the group, looking very serious, frown creasing his brow.

“Miss Rosie, there’s someone at the back gate asking for you. He said his name was Dylan, that he was your ex, and he had a wedding picture that really looked like you.”

Axl’s eyebrows rose up his forehead, the rest of the gang turning to look at Rosie expectantly. Rosie frowned back at Tom, her body tensing up.

“What would you like me to do, Miss Rosie?”

“Hey, I thought you said you were a widow?”

Rosie turned, snapping at Rich’s comment. “And I thought musicians could at least count to two.”

Axl stepped between them, eyes on Rosie. “So, this is the first one? Should I be worried?”

“I dunno.” Rosie snorted. “You ever get the urge to hit up a landfill to find the garbage you dumped three decades ago? ‘Cause I don’t.”

Axl relaxed with a smirk. “You want Tom to bounce him?”

Rosie shook her head, scowling. “He’s made a point of trying to keep in contact, despite the fact I’ve never responded to any of his messages. Showing up now means he thinks he can get something out of me, just like always. I need to make sure he understands it’s over, and not to bother me ever again.”

“We could get a restraining order?”

“Based on what?” Rosie sighed. “He’s barely been more than mildly annoying. I’ll talk to him and be done with it. Then, if he tries again, we can get that order.”

“If you say so.” Axl rubbed her shoulder. “You want me to come with?”

“Yes…but actually no.” She reached up to cup his cheek. “Getting close to you would be a gift he doesn’t deserve. And it would derail any conversation I try to have with him.”

She wrapped her arms around Axl’s middle, leaning heavily on his chest with a deep sigh. He chuckled, kissing her temple, fingers carding gently in her hair.

With a quick kiss to his cheek, she pulled away, turning towards Tom. “You patted him down, right?”

“Yes, Miss Rosie. Nothing but a phone, keys, wallet and the picture.”

“Alright. Wait, didn’t he have a ticket?”

Tom shook his head. “Not on him. And the name he gave wasn’t in the will call either.”

“That grifting bastard.” Rosie growled. She looked over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t be long.”

Rosie and Tom walked away, Axl watching them go. Duff bumped his shoulder, looking at the singer with a raised eyebrow, unspoken question hanging between them.

Axl shrugged. “I’m not real worried. We’ve already discussed our pasts. I do wanna see this guy though. I’m gonna head to the security station upstairs. Wanna come with?”

Duff smirked. “Sure.”

“Hey! I’m in too. Rosie’s gonna roast this dude like a marshmallow and I’m not gonna miss it.”

Axl chuckled, throwing an arm around Slash’s broad shoulders.

“Same, fucker. Come on.”

Down at the back gate, a couple of security guards stood at loose attention, keeping half an eye on the older man between them. He stood with his arms crossed, photo in one hand.

The sound of footsteps made them all perk up, the two guards maneuvering to be one in front and one behind the man. Seeing Rosie, he brightened, leaning around the solidly built guard.

“Rose! Hey, you look great! Can we talk?” he tried to step forward, only to be stopped by a meaty fist closing around his arm. “Hey, let go! That’s Rose, she knows me. Rose, tell him to let me go!”

Rosie sighed deeply, glancing up at Tom with a resigned nod.

Tom called out to the guards. “It’s ok. Let him through.” He waved at the side of the walkway. “I’ll be right here, Miss Rosie.”

“Thank you.”

He moved off to the side just as Dylan got close.

“Rose!” Dylan was all smiles as he came up, arms out to embrace her.

Rosie shook her head, backing away. “I don’t think so, Dylan.”

His arms dropped, shoulders drooping a little. He ran a hand through his greying hair, scratching at the back of his neck.

“Oh…ok. So, Guns ‘n Roses, hmm? That’s pretty wild. How’d that happen?”

“That’s none of your business, Dylan. Why are you here?”

“This is where I live now.” He shrugged. “When I saw that pic of you pop up on twitter, and that the band was gonna be in town, I thought I’d finally get a chance to…”

“To what, score some swag? Front row floor tickets? Get invited to the VIP afterparty? It’s always about what’s in it for you, isn’t it?”

“No! I mean…yeah, it’d be nice, sure, but really, I just wanted to see you. It’s been so long. I kept all your letters, and our photos.” Dylan waved the wedding picture. “You were so beautiful that day. All I could think of was how lucky I was.”

“Lucky to trade your Mom in for another woman who would take complete care of you, and came with extra benefits. How terribly lucky for you, indeed. You do realize the divorce was final over thirty years ago, right?”

Dylan looked a little sheepish. “I know, but…”

“No. No buts, no talking. We’re done here. Let me be absolutely crystalline clear, and use small words so you understand. I don’t care about you. I wiped you off my plate decades ago, and for damn good reason. There is nothing, not a goddamned thing, that I will get out of restarting our relationship, so it’s not going to happen.” Rosie took a breath, collecting herself. “Here’s what is going to happen – you are going to leave; leave this hall, leave this venue, leave me alone. And you will never contact me again. I don’t give a shit if you live a long and fruitful life, or get hit by a train tomorrow, you selfish, self-centered jerk, just so long as you do it the hell away from me.”

Dylan stood there, mouth open, eyebrows sliding up and down as he worked through her words. His face settled into a scowl, lips thinning and cheeks reddening in anger.

“You little slut! You owe me!”

Rosie’s own face turned cold, eyes flashing as she straightened up. Her voice dropped; venom clear behind her words.

“Owe you? I spent my youth supporting all your whims; worked my ass off to make sure we had a home, food, a car, and all of it, every last bit of it, squandered away to support whatever the fuck you wanted, when you wanted it, with no thought at all for me. You’re lucky I didn’t charge your pasty ass with abuse and abandonment when I filed for divorce. Now get the fuck out and don’t ever come near me again.”

Dylan growled, hands fisting as he took a step forward. The solid mountain of Tom was between them in an instant, hands out and ready for anything the smaller man might try.

“You heard the lady. Time to leave.”

Dylan didn’t look impressed by Tom’s presence, despite barely coming up to his shoulder, and he pulled an arm back, ready to let it fly. One of the venue security guards grabbed both Dylan’s arms, effortlessly pinning them behind his back.

“Show’s over for you, buddy. You’ve been permanently barred from this venue.”

Dylan thrashed helplessly for a moment, face turning beet red as he hissed in anger. “You fucking bitch! You’ll be sorry!”

Rosie stared stone-faced at her ex, then turned to Tom. “That sounded like a threat, didn’t it?”

Tom smirked. “Yes, Miss Rosie. I’d swear to it.”

“Looks like we’ll be getting that restraining order after all.”

With a wide grin, Tom leaned close to not be overheard. “You want them to drop him a few times on the way out? The steps are a little tricky, and, you know, accidents happen.”

Rosie shook her head. “Absolutely not. Kid gloves on that asshole. He walks out of here with not so much as a scratch. No bruises, no damaged property. There is to be nothing he can use against any of us. Understand?”

“Yes, Miss Rosie.” He snapped to attention, turning quickly to catch up with the security guard restraining Dylan, whispering in his ear. The guard nodded, moving Dylan along more carefully, though he didn’t let go of the man’s arms.

Rosie huffed. “Thank fuck that’s over.” She turned, walking fast back up towards the stage. Tom kept pace, watching her quietly.

Up in the security booth, Axl was watching too, leaning in to see her face as she passed by the host of cameras spread around the venue. Swearing softly, he booked out of the room, heading to intercept Rosie.

They met up just outside of the dressing rooms, Rosie nearly barreling into him in her haste. She stopped, looking up in confusion, breath rough.

“Axl?”

He reached for her slowly, cupping her cheek with a gentle hand.

“It’s ok, Rosie. I’m here. You’re gonna be alright.”

She shuddered, her façade of calm starting to crumble for a moment before snapping back in place. Axl pulled her close, nodding at Tom as he guided her into his changing room.

The door had barely clicked shut when Rosie started to tremble, reaching for Axl and burying her head against his chest. He just held her, speaking soft words and rubbing her back gently.

After a few minutes, he leaned in, planting a kiss on her cheek. He could feel the warmth of her skin, still flushed with emotion, her breath coming in short pants.

“Sweet lady, you wanna talk about it?”

Rosie growled in to his shirt. “Not really. I just don’t want to let that asshole take up any more space in my head. I was gone and done. He has no right to reappear and weasel back in. It just makes me so fucking mad that he’d try, and there’s nothing I can do.”

Axl stepped back, catching Rosie’s gaze. “This is you mad, hmm? Somehow, I thought you’d be a little more…dramatic. Kick the couch, toss a vase, something?”

Rosie pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself, fingers scratching at the skin of her upper arms. “I don’t…that’s not something I do.”

“What do you do?”

“This is it. Nothing. I’ve got no outlet, Axl, I don’t even know what to do. I want to explode…and I just…can’t.”

Approaching Rosie slowly, Axl put his hands on her shoulders, thumbs rubbing light circles.

“Rosie. I get it. I really get it. You miss all those stories about me breaking shit up? Being a screaming diva? It took me way too long to figure out how to do better. Didn’t think I’d find anyone more tightly wrapped than me.”

She gave him a weak smile. “Good to know I’m special.”

“Hey now, none of that. Rosie, you are special.” Axl kissed her cheek. “Wonderful.” He kissed her jaw, his hands snaking around her. “Beautiful.” His lips latched on the side of her throat, sucking gently. “Sexy as fucking hell.”

She shivered, breath catching. Smiling against her skin, he slid a hand up under her shirt, rubbing gently over a lace-covered breast, teasing a nipple to a hard bud.

“You wanna blow off a little steam, darlin’?” His sultry voice tickled her ear. “‘Cause I know just the thing.”

Axl’s hand slid lower, fingers trailing along the waistband of Rosie’s jeans, thumb slipping between denim and skin. She whined, clutching at the back of his head when he added another mark to her neck.

Kissing her, he walked her backwards carefully, nimble ring-heavy fingers made quick work of opening Rosie’s jeans. The squeak when her butt hit the vanity shelf dropped to a moan as those fingers wormed under her panties with gentle, teasing strokes.

She rocked against his fingers, face buried against his chest, hands lacing around the back of his neck.

“That’s it, beautiful. Relax and let go.”

She hummed low in her throat, shuddering. Her breath coming in rough pants, she put her hand over his.

“Stop.”

Axl frowned, going still. He leaned back, meeting her gaze.

“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

Her chest still heaving, Rosie shook her head. She put a hand on his cheek, her eyes dark, heated gaze making his pulse quicken.

“No…I just…want more. I want you.”

His brows lifted in surprise, smile tweaking his lips. “Really?”

Rosie let her hand trail down his chest, over his stomach, to rub gently along his hardening length. He groaned softly.

“Please… I need you.”

With a quiet hiss, he reached out to embrace her, kiss her deeply. When they broke for air, he chuckled, brushing the stray hair out of Rosie’s face.

“Not how I expected our first time to be. Wanted to make it special for you.”

She smirked back, tongue poking out as she slipped her hands up under his t-shirt, scratching lightly down his chest. “Next time. Please Axl?”

“Why so needy, lovely lady?”

“Maybe I have more steam to blow off than your fingers can manage.”

Axl smiled down, ghosting his fingers over her nipples. “Care to be my Rocket Queen?”

Rosie blushed deeply, her eyes half-lidded, pupils blown wide as she leaned into his touch. When she looked up, Axl was awe-struck, the trust in Rosie’s gaze making his breath catch. Cupping her face in his hands, he rubbed his thumbs gently across the soft skin of her cheeks, letting his hands drift down, to pull her close, kiss her forehead, her lips, before pulling back.

“Turn around, beautiful. Let me take care of you.”

He helped her turn, to lean gently against the vanity, facing the large mirror. Brushing her hair out of the way, he kissed the crest of her shoulder, hands on the move to curl around a breast, slide once more into her underwear to tease and enflame. He smiled at himself as her eyes closed, head falling back against him, soft whines falling from her lips.

His own eyes closed as he caressed her folds, slick drenching his fingers, his dick twitching in anticipation. With a low hum of his own, he shimmied her pants down, palming the plump flesh of her ass. Making quick work of his own clothes, the flannel shirt fell to the floor as he undid his jeans. Curling around her again, he held back a groan as he slid between Rosie’s thighs, his body fitting perfectly around hers.

“Rosie, are you sure this is what you want?”

He focused on her in the mirror, waiting till her eyes cracked open slightly, nearly black now with need.

She pushed back against him, drawing a ragged breath. “Please…?”

That low, honeyed plea had him rock hard and on the edge. Swearing softly, he took Rosie’s hand, bringing it up to help her brace against the mirror. Taking himself in hand, about to plunge into heaven, and he stopped cold.

“FUCK!”

Rosie’s head shot up, looking over her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Axl groaned miserably, palming his face. “I’m sorry Rosie, I wasn’t prepared, I don’t have any condoms.”

With a snort, Rosie shook her head. “You gonna give me cooties or something? Considering where our mouths have been, I think that ship sailed.”

“No, I’m good, I just…I don’t want to risk…if you don’t want…”

“Relax, brat. I’m covered.”

“I’ve never seen you take anything.”

“Don’t have to, got an implant. Now, what does a lady have to do to get the full Rockstar package?”

With a wicked smile, he embraced her again, teasing her clit and nipping softly at her ear as her breath sped up, flush of excitement spreading to stain her neck and chest.

“Only the deluxe package for you, beautiful. Anytime you want.”

Placing her hand on the mirror again, he grasped her hips, tilting them back as he sheathed himself within her with toe-curling slowness. His groin flush against her ass, he placed his own hand over hers, the two of them panting hard.

Calling on all his restraint, Axl stood still, watching Rosie’s expression, waiting for her direction. She had both hands on the mirror now, head bent and breath heavy, random shudders passing through her, making them both twitch.

“You good, beautiful?” Axl whispered in her ear, free hand running gently over her stomach.

“Yeah…yeah…it’s just…” She trembled again, tensing and relaxing around him. “been a while. Forgot…hmm…what I was missing.” She rocked her hips back, moaning low in her throat, and this time Axl shuddered, his groan mixing with hers.

“Axl?” Rosie looked up, meeting his gaze in the mirror. Her eyes were wild, dazed.

“Yes, darlin?” He nuzzled into her neck, meeting her glance with a heated smile of his own.

“Move, dammit.”

He chuckled low, palming her cleft as he started rolling his hips, slow and steady, watching her eyes snap closed, mouth fall open, soft cries falling from her lips. Pressing her hands hard against the mirror, she pushed back against his thrusts, chest heaving with each snap.

Feeling her tense and shake under him, he sped up slightly, fingers curling around her clit in time with his movements. He was rewarded with a high whine, her body clenching up, holding, shaking apart for the briefest moment before ratcheting up again.

He felt her flutter and squeeze around his dick, his breath coming just as fast as hers. Driving a little harder, he rolled his thumb roughly over her bud, pinching gingerly, and she locked up, head snapping back against his shoulder with a strangled cry, tendrils of sweat-damp hair plastered against her cheeks and forehead.

Entranced, he watched her come undone, taken by surprise as she bucked her hips wildly with her crest, catching him up and dragging him over the edge with her. With a pained growl his own eyes rolled back as she milked him dry.

They stood, still joined together, for long minutes, Axl’s arms crisscrossed over Rosie, her small hands grasping his biceps, as their breathing gradually calmed. Axl nipped gently at Rosie’s neck, and her yip and twitch made them both shiver, oversensitive nerves still sending echoes of the tidal wave of pleasure they’d shared.

Gently pulling apart, Axl turned her and drew close again, just breathing in the scent of her, basking in the feel of her softness against him. Their lips met, slow and easy and tender, the world shrunk to just the two of them.

A loud knock at the door startled them both, Tom’s voice booming through.

“Ten minutes, Mr. Rose!”

Axl grumbled out some choice words under his breath. Rosie glanced up, her cheeks pink with embarrassment, though her eyes shone with humor.

“Was he out there the whole time?”

Chuckling, Axl caressed Rosie’s cheek with a thumb. “Shoulda read the fine print. Live audience is one of the hazards of that deluxe Rockstar package. Or perks. Whichever.”

She rolled her eyes and smacked his arm with all the force of a flapping puppy ear, and he burst into laughter. He made for the bathroom, coming out with a wet washcloth for her as he ducked back in again.

Coming out the second time he had pulled himself together, face washed, hair somewhat managed. Rosie had cleaned up a little as well, though she leaned somewhat awkwardly against the sofa.

Axl scooped her into a hug, kissing her breathless, wide grin on his face as they broke for air. Glancing down at Rosie, he turned serious, smile softening.

“You know I’d stay longer if I could.”

Shaking her head with a smile, she patted his smooth cheek.

“I got my turn. Now it’s theirs. Go rock their faces off…and maybe…don’t break a leg? Again?”

Axl snorted, sticking his tongue out while she giggled. Hugging her one last time, he lifted her off the ground, laughing when she squeaked.

Putting her down, he took a deep breath, kissed her once more and turned to go. “Take a shower if you want. There’s plenty towels ‘n shit to use. Join us whenever you’re ready.”

“Hmm, yeah. I’m still a little…sticky.” Rosie scrunched her face, and he chuckled, made a kissing noise as he left, closing the door behind him.

Tom was standing against the far wall, looking up when Axl stepped out, and glancing away quickly. He talked into his ear piece, straightening as Axl came over.

“They’re expecting you, Mr. Rose.”

Axl nodded, glancing up at the taller man. “Stay here, Rosie will be out in a little while.”

“Of course, Mr. Rose.”

Axl turned, then stopped, turning back. He glanced over his shoulder, then back at Tom. Stepping further away from the door, he motioned the guard closer.

Tom frowned, watching Axl glance towards where Rosie was, scratch at the back of his neck and take a deep breath before looking back up.

With one more furtive glance, Axl leaned in. “Tom, there’s only a handful of shows left…and…I’m planning something for the final show. For Rosie. Can I count on you to help keep the surprise?”

Tom relaxed, looking Axl over again. “Think she’s ready?”

Axl took his hat off to rake fingers through his hair, exhaling loudly. “God, I fuckin’ hope so.”

The guard smiled, patting the older man on the shoulder. “You can count on me, Mr. Rose. Miss Rosie deserves all the happiness in the world. And if you don’t mind me saying, so do you.”

Axl snorted, smirking up at Tom. “Don’t be getting all sappy now. Save it for later.”

Tom coughed a laugh, straightening up again. “Yes, sir!”

The singer took off for the front, bright smile on his face. The rest of the band was waiting just back from the stage, shuffling around to work off jangling nerves.

Mel was the first to see him coming, bouncing a little, her ponytail swinging wildly. Slash saw her perk up, then turned to watch Axl, laughing as the redhead approached.

The guitarist smacked Duff on the chest, the blonde leaning down as Slash whispered in his ear. His shoulders started shaking too, though he was more restrained, a wicked smile gracing his chiseled features.

Axl strode up, waving cheerfully at Rich and the rest before giving Slash a stink eye. Slash was looking smug, pulling off his flannel shirt and offering it to the singer. The redhead frowned in confusion.

Leaning close, Slash chuckled. “Haven’t seen you on stage without one the whole tour. Also might hide…ah…” he gestured at Axl’s pants, laughing out loud when Axl looked down and swore, quickly tying the shirt around his waist, arranging the knotted sleeves carefully, smile sneaking back.

Watching the singer for a moment, Duff snickered. “So, is Rosie as happy as you are?”

Axl gave the blonde a squinty glare for a moment, before grinning brightly. “You’ll be able to see for yourself…when she finally makes it up here.”

The two guitar players laughed, Slash clapping Axl on the back.

The singer charged forward, the band following and taking up their positions. Grabbing the microphone, he strode up to the front of the stage, striking a pose, smiling as the crowd cheered.

“DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE? ....”


	14. Come the Blossoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last night of the tour has finally come...

Rose n bud 14 – Come the blossoms

…………….

Warnings: graphic M/F sex

……………….

Rosie hunched over the low table on the bus, staring intently at her laptop, head resting on one hand as she scrolled through another email. Every now and then, she’d write a few notes in a paper notebook, then go back to scrolling.

Across from her, Slash and Rich sprawled, chatting quietly. Casting surreptitious glances Rosie’s way, the pair would smirk and start whispering again.

Over in the kitchenette, Axl watched the two, shaking his head with a sigh. Duff came up beside him, patting him on the shoulder.

“Like having a coupla teenagers on board, hmm?”

Axl snorted. “I’d rather have the teenagers. Cash and London are way better behaved than those two lugnuts. Think anyone’d notice if we swapped ‘em out?”

Duff chuckled. “Eh, maybe right now…but not for long. We weren’t much older than them when we got started, yeah?”

“Jesus, don’t remind me. I’d say it seems like a lifetime ago, but it fuckin’ was. How the hell’d that happen?”

“Fuck if I know. Pretty sure I never thought I’d be watchin’ my own girls up on stage. Or watchin’ all the fuckin creeps crawlin’ out of the gutters after ‘em.”

“How you’ve avoided getting arrested for murder I’ll never know. Are they as bad as we were, though?”

“Whaddaya mean ‘were’? Just look at those two. You gonna rescue your lady?”

“More like rescue their sorry asses from when she realizes why they’re sitting there so happy.”

“What, a couple of guys can’t just be enjoying the view? Seems like the mountain ranges are lovely this time of year.” Duff snickered.

“Don’t start, bastard.” Axl grumbled, landing a punch on the bassist’s arm, his lips twitching to hide a smile. Duff rubbed his arm, then put his large hand on Axl’s forehead to push him away with a laugh.

“Go save those idiots from themselves.”

Flashing Duff a finger, Axl wandered over to the seating area, coming up behind Slash and Rich, gripping the backs of their necks and shaking them not too ungently. Their noises of protest drew Rosie’s attention, and she looked up, eyebrow raised.

“’Bout time.” Her eyes went back to the laptop. Slash laughed, batting Axl’s hand away.

Axl smirked, laying a light smack on the back of the guitarist’s fluffy head. “You knew?”

“These two are about as subtle as a heart attack.” Rosie shrugged. “They’re never gonna get more than an eyeful. Might as well let them enjoy it.”

“Told ya she was a chill chick.”

Reaching back to land a soft punch to Axl’s middle, Slash chuckled at the singer’s quiet grunt. Rich coughed a laugh, shooting an amused glance up as Axl squinted back.

Slash picked his drink up off the table, slurping noisily through the straw in the top. “So…why so blue, babe?”

Rich snorted, smacking him on the arm. Rosie looked up again, brow furrowing in confusion.

With a wide grin, Slash gestured at Rosie’s chest with his drink. “Blue? What’s blue?”

Rosie frowned, then shook her head, heaving a long sigh as she turned back to her laptop.

“I’m sure you can figure it out.”

The guitarist pouted, swiping at Axl when the singer patted his head with a laugh. Then his eyes brightened.

“So…Ax…sharing is caring, right? What’s she got, like another rose, or an animal? Oh! Is it a butterfly? Chicks always go for shit like that.”

Axl winked at Rosie. “I don’t kiss and tell…unlike some. If she wants you to know, you will.”

Rosie smiled at the singer as he walked around to plop down beside her, straightening up to kiss his cheek.

Slash sat up, excited again. “How ‘bout twenty questions? You can say if we’re getting warm or cold!”

With a wry grin, Rosie picked at a hangnail for a moment. “You know, I’m not one for getting even…takes much to effort for my liking. That said, I’m surprised you two hadn’t noticed something yet.”

“Heh, what’s that?”

“How long Mel’s been gone.”

The lady in question bounced up, all cheerful smile and flouncing blue ponytail. “Someone called me? They treating you right, hun?”

“Debatable. You been having fun?”

Mel laughed wickedly. “Yup.”

Slash and Rich looked at each other, dismay creeping over them.

“You wouldn’t…”

“You didn’t…”

Mel shrugged, smiling as innocently as possible. “Wouldn’t…didn’t…I have no idea what you’re talking about. I haven’t done anything.”

The two men launched themselves up off the seats, heading upstairs to check on their gear. Mel sat down in their spot, casually stretching out as Axl cast a smirk back and forth between the two ladies.

“So…what did you do this time? More roaches? Jelly? Is there a trail of underwear down the highway?”

Mel looked over at Rosie, the two exchanging a sly glance before bursting into laughter. Rosie patted Axl’s leg as she wiped her eyes.

“She didn’t do a damn thing…but they’ll have to go through all their stuff before they figure that out.”

……………………………………………….

The midmorning sun snuck through a gap in the curtains, gilding Rosie’s skin and setting her hair aglow. Axl lay back against the headboard, eyes hooded and dark watching her arch and curl as she sat atop him.

Rosie gave a shuddering exhale, gripping Axl’s shoulders to steady herself. A breathless hum turned into a moan as his thumb found her clit, massaging slow circles.

The roll of her hips dragged an answering moan from the redhead, their mouths meeting in soft, open kisses. Axl planted his feet on the mattress, bucking gently, lofting Rosie and making her breath catch.

“Like that, hmm?”

She scratched lightly down his chest, glancing up through half-lidded eyes, smirk tweaking the corner of her mouth.

“Jury’s out…do it again.”

With a deep, wicked chuckle, Axl gathered himself, lifting his hips to bounce his easy rider. Rosie’s breathing sped up along with his, her grip on his shoulders tightening as she met his thrusts with short snaps, her ass slapping against his thighs.

Axl watched with near breathless captivation as Rosie came apart atop him, her panting cries ratcheting up to a long wail as trembles turned to spasms, her body grinding against his. Enraptured with the glorious vision of her in ecstasy, he was blindsided by his own, the thrash and clench of her driving him over the edge, blinding bliss arcing like lightning, wrenching a long, low, growling groan from his lips.

He gathered her close as she slumped against him, the two of them panting as they traded soft kisses on cheeks, necks, shoulders. She snaked a hand up to tangle in auburn locks, rubbing lightly on his scalp and giggling when he hummed happily, squeezing her tight.

With a chuckle of his own, Axl nuzzled Rosie’s neck.

“Lovely lady…ready to face the day?”

She sighed, pushing off his chest to sit back up. They both gasped as oversensitive parts were jostled and rubbed as Rosie slowly peeled herself off Axl’s lap, exhaling slowly as she knelt next to the singer.

“I suppose so. Join me in the shower?”

Axl grinned and waggled his eyebrows, running a hand down Rosie’s side.

“Try and stop me. I’ll join you as soon as I can pry myself up.”

She snorted, kissing his forehead and moving to slip off the other side of the bed.

“You want your walker, old man?”

“Wench! I should spank you for that!”

Stopping at the door to the bathroom, Rosie favored Axl with a heated glance.

“You have to make it off the bed to do that, brat.”

“Oh, just you wait…”

She sniffed teasingly. “Don’t be too long, I might start without you.”

Axl’s indignant sputter slid into a laugh, joined by Rosie’s own, soon drowned out by the sound of the shower starting up. He turned and sat up, reaching for his phone to check for updates on the planning for tonight’s final show.

Pleased with the confirmations flooding his messages, he put the phone down, stretching as he stood up and walked to the bathroom. Pausing at the door, he couldn’t help but smile at the stunning sight of his very own angel, soaping herself up, froth sliding down her back slowly revealing the bright colors inked into her skin.

Rosie noticed him, returning his smile with one brilliant enough to put the sun to shame. With a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the twitch of interest from his groin, he stepped forward, climbing in behind her and hugging her tight, shaking with laughter as she squeaked and smacked at the hands curling around her breasts.

……………………………………………………….

Axl was nearly drenched by the end of the show, the roar of the crowd driving the manic energy that he fed right back to them at top volume. Slash, Duff and Rich were in similar shape, muscular arms and unruly locks glistening damply under the bright lights, fingers flying to make instruments growl and wail, lost in the music and the joyful feedback from the thousands of bodies that writhed and screamed around them.

As the final strains of ‘Paradise City’ died out and the whole band gathered to take their final bows, the crowd’s happy shouts and applause was deafening. The lights on stage slowly dimmed, the audience’s noise slowly dying down as people turned towards the exits, happy and drained from a stunning show.

The stage lights flashed for a moment, before coming on at full brightness. Unsure, the crowd, turned back, wondering what else the band might be doing.

Axl put down the drink in his hand, turning to walk to the front of the stage. He’d traded out his usual hand-held microphone for a clip on, and he waved to the fans, urging them to come back.

“Hey, everybody!”

The crowd cheered, watching expectantly.

“It’s been a fuckin’ fantastic tour, and these guys…” he waved at his bandmates “and all of you, have been absolutely amazing. We couldn’t have done this without you, your love, your energy, all of it made this tour the best we’ve ever had.”

Duff and the rest were smiling and clapping as they gathered to stand behind Axl, waving as the fans screamed their joy back.

“There’s something I need you to know though. Back a few months ago, someone in the audience caught my eye. I didn’t know it when I brought her up on stage, but she was gonna change everything. I wanna bring her up now to thank her. Rosie, come on out, please?”

There was hush in the crowd, a dull hum of excited voices wondering what was going on. Rosie came out from stage left, stopping just at the edge, her arms crossed as she held herself, glancing at the crowd before dipping her head and looking away.

Axl crossed the stage, gently prying Rosie’s hands free to pull her slowly to the center, his smile reassuring and bright. When they reached the middle, he turned her to face the audience, wrapping a supportive arm around her waist. The video cams stayed just out of the way, broadcasting them on the huge screens that covered the back wall.

Duff appeared at her other side, holding out the microphone and patting Rosie’s shoulder with a soft smile of his own.

“Everybody, say hello to Rosie.”

“HELLO, ROSIE!!!”

Rosie blushed clear to her neck, the heat practically radiating off her skin, dipping her head again as she waved back, her own greeting soft. Axl rubbed her hip with a chuckle.

“That’s no good, they can’t hear you. Say it again.”

With a steadying breath, Rosie spoke into the mic. “Hello, Everyone!” 

There were some cheers and shouts in response. Duff stepped away as Axl moved forward again.

“Now I want you all to know, this lady is more than just eye candy…” he paused with a short laugh as Rosie patted his chest, her cheeks flaring again. “…She’s strong and brave, and she saved my life. You may have heard there was an incident with a rowdy asshole at one of our earlier shows. What you may not know was that the fuckwad had a gun. Rosie here took a bullet meant for me, then took the guy down before he could hurt anyone else.”

There was a heavy silence as the audience processed Axl’s words. Murmurs slowly got louder, clapping, stomping and chanting growing until the sound of Rosie’s name thundered through the stadium. Behind the pair, the band joined in as Rosie hid her face in her hands, Axl grinning as he kissed the top of her head, waving his free hand to quiet everyone down.

“Now, I told you that story so you’d know what an amazing person Rosie is, but that’s not the only reason I wanted her to be here. I have one last song tonight, and this one’s all for Rosie.”

Duff appeared again, offering Rosie a stool to sit on as Axl stepped away. The lights went back down, except for spotlights on Axl and Rosie, a dimmer spot shone where Slash sat with an acoustic guitar in his lap, on a riser behind them.

He started picking out the intro to “Gotten” and the crowd went to cheer, only to go quiet as Axl waved and made shushing motions, winking as he did. Rosie sat watching him with a soft smile, gasping as he started to sing and she realized it was the version she’d sung to him.

There was hardly a sound in the stadium, the darkened stands lit up by thousands of phones shining bright. As the song came to an end, Axl stood in front of Rosie, the two with eyes for nothing else but each other.

Axl grinned wide, eyes twinkling as he turned, motioning to Duff.

“There’s just one more thing I need to say before the night ends. Duff?”

Duff reached in his pockets with both hands, frown crossing his face. He patted his back pockets, scowl getting fiercer. The audience started chattering, tension evident in the noise.

Behind him, Slash sauntered up, smacking him on the back of the head. Duff whipped around, and Slash held his hands up in supplication, then curled the fingers on his left hand, proffering his pinky, where something shiny glinted in the stage lights. The sounds of the crowd were electric, people hollering enthusiastically.

With a look of relief, Duff pulled a small ring off Slash’s finger. He offered it to Axl, who rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile.

When Axl turned back towards Rose and got down on one knee, the noise in the stadium started growing, washing over the pair like ocean waves. Rosie looked pale, eyes as big as saucers, her hands clapped over her mouth as she watched the singer.

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a steadying breath, meeting Rosie’s stunned gaze with all the tenderness he could muster. 

“Sweet Rose…you know I can’t promise much of a future, old as I am now. But I’ll stand by you as long as you’ll have me, for as long as we have.” He smiled hopefully, holding out the ring in the palm of his hand. “Will you…marry me?”

There was a collective gasp from the fans, excited shouts ringing out here and there, followed by heavily whispered shushing from others as they waited to see what Rosie would say. From back behind Axl the camera zoomed in on her as she started to shake, tears running from the corners of her eyes, broadcasting it on the huge wall of screens for all to see.

Rosie leaned forward, nearly collapsing in front of Axl as he reached to steady her. With a trembling hand she reached up to cup his cheek, meeting his gaze with a watery smile and a sniffle before lunging forward to wrap both arms tight around his neck, nearly knocking him back.

He could feel her sobbing into the crook of his neck, her hold on him on the verge of choking. With a light cough, he rubbed her back, kissing her temple.

“You alright there?”

He felt her hiccup and sniffle, one hand loosening to slide up and pat his cheek as she nodded. He chuckled and kissed her again.

“Lovely lady…may I have your answer?”

She sniffled again, leaning back a little and wiping at her eyes and nose, still hiding against his chest.

“Just use my shirt. If you can find a clean spot.”

She pulled at the hem a bit, dabbing at her nose and sitting back. Axl held out his hand, and Rosie gasped, reaching out to gently trace the skull flanked by two roses that graced the otherwise simple silver ring.

Her smile was blinding, outshone only by light of joy in her eyes as she gazed up Axl, and he couldn’t help but meet it with a wide grin of his own. Rosie put a hand over his heart, the other on his cheek.

“Yes.”

The thunderous roar of jubilant fans shook the stage around them, as a starburst of fireworks lit the sky overhead.


	15. Garden, transplanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tour wraps up, and Axl has a proposition for Rosie

Rose n Bud 15 – Garden, transplanted

…………………………….

Warnings: semi-explicit M/F sex

Credits and humble apologies to Richard O’Brien et.al., and William Goldman

……………………………..

The tour wrapped up with a bang, the band close enough to L.A. to stick it out on the bus. Axl and Rosie sat curled up together in the front area, idly scrolling their phones and watching the scenery pass by, till Axl turned a thoughtful look to the lady leaning against him.

“You know…we’ll be passing by Las Vegas. We could stop and get hitched.”

Rosie went still, then turned towards him, eyebrows climbing up her forehead. “You want to get married…in Vegas? Now?”

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away. “I mean, it’s just an idea…it’s fine if you want time to plan something bigger when we get home.”

“Wait a minute…you’re serious?”

“Maybe? Just thought it might be nice, ya know, to find a little chapel…”

Rosie pulled away and sat up, turning to face Axl. “Oh my god! Really? You’d do that?”

Axl’s cheeks pinked a bit. “I don’t see a reason to wait, but if you want to hold off and make a real go of it, that’s ok too. Get all fancy ‘n shit.”

Her squeal of delight made him wince. “Are you kidding me?! This is awesome! Can we get an Elvis? Ooh, or maybe an alien? Or an alien Elvis?”

A big smile crept over his face. “Well, I was thinking something more traditional, but if it makes you happy, Elvis is cool.”

Rosie met his smile with a bright one her own, taking his outstretched hand and curling her fingers against his. Her eyes went wide and she pulled away to quickly search something on her phone.

Axl watched, brows furrowed in confusion. She gave a happy squeak, scooting closer and holding out her phone for him to see.

“This. Can we do this? Please?”

Axl stared at the image for a minute, breaking down in laughter and throwing an arm around Rosie to give her a squeeze. “Your wish is my command.”

Duff came around from the kitchenette, staring curiously at the pair. “Uh oh. What’re you two up to now?”

Rosie glanced at Axl, eyebrows up in silent question, and he nodded. Beaming, she turned back, giving a little wiggle as she sing-songed to Duff.

“Goin’ to the chapel and we’re…gonna get married…in Vegas!”

“That was quick.” Duff chuckled, glancing at a grinning Axl with a smirk and a shake of his head. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Watch yourself, bastard.”

Duff held his hands up in supplication. “Your choice. So…no time for a bachelor’s party?”

Axl snorted. “Most of my life has been one big bachelor’s party. Don’t think any of us need that anymore.”

“Yeah, you got that right. No wild parties, no drama, just jumpin’ in with both feet, hmm? You two absolutely deserve each other.”

“Just for that, I’m gonna make Slash my best man.”

Rosie laughed. “Awww, that’s too bad. We already know Duff looks good in fishnets and eyeshadow, I’m sure he’d rock a corset too.”

Duff’s eyes went wide, a hint of red tinging tanned cheeks. “You found my old photos? Wait, what the hell kind of ceremony are you talking about?”

Rosie snorted in amusement. “Wasn’t like I was trying to find that, but the interwebs do have a way of preserving some real gems from the past. Besides, it was just one image. Not like pics of Slash, with his overgrown welcome mat out all over the place.”

Axl turned to give Rosie a look. “You been searching for pics of Slash’s ‘welcome mat’?”

Rosie sputtered with laughter. “It’s trying to avoid it that’s the trick!”

Axl and Duff chuckled, nodding. 

She leaned close to Axl, whispering in his ear, her hand sliding down his front. “Have I not mentioned how nicely you filled out? That was one pancake-flat ass. Much better now.”

Axl snorted and coughed in startled laughter as Rosie giggled, patting his chest. Duff grinned, watching their antics.

“So, what’s the plan? Drive thru? Graceland? Top of the Stratosphere ™?”

“Nah, we’re going in style! Just you wait and see.”

“Oh, really?” Duff looked at Axl, who just smiled and shrugged. “Where does the corset come in?”

“Guess you’re gonna have to wait till we get there to find out.” 

The blonde reached over and ruffled Axl’s hair playfully. “Now who’s the bastard?”

………………………………………….

It took a bit of wrangling, and surprisingly less money than he was prepared to spend, but the shock on everyone’s faces when they entered the chapel tucked inside a grand casino was almost as priceless as the utter delight on Rosie’s. Two assistants, dressed as a maid with auburn overpermed hair, and a butler with slicked-back bleach-blonde locks, beckoned the guests in, leading them towards the inner sanctum, complete with a stained glass of a muscular blonde in gold shorts backlit behind the alter.

Once inside, they were greeted by a nearly seven-foot-tall Frank ‘N Furter, strutting out in full platformed-stockinged-and-corseted regalia. They welcomed the entourage with a wry smile while openly appraising Axl and Rosie and licking their scarlet lips in approval.

“How do you do, I…see you’ve met my…faithful handythem. Let me show you around, maybe…play you a sound? You look like you’re both pretty…groovy. Or if you want something visual…that’s not too abysmal, we could take in an old…Dirty Harry movie.”

There were chuckles as Magenta and Riff Raff seated everyone but the couple of the hour, who they whisked away to a side room. The band photographer paced the room as Frankie worked the crowd, ending up by Duff, much to his chagrin.

Sauntering up to where the blonde sat in the front row, they paused, hand on hip, groin arched pointedly at the bassist’s face. Gauging the reactions from their target and his friends, Frank bent down, stroking a finger along Duff’s jaw, a hungry smile framed in crimson.

“Darling…you could be my…favorite obsession. I’ve been looking for a man, with blonde hair, and a tan. I’d be good for relieving any…tension.”

Duff’s ears pinked a little, but he chuckled and winked. Frankie grinned wide, kissed his cheek with a loud smack, then quickly wiped the lipstick away with a thumb while Slash and the others cheered.

Riff Raff reappeared, walking past the altar to sit at a small organ, starting to play. They began with a classic horror film melody before switching to the baseball park ‘charge’ tune, the waiting audience laughing and clapping along.

Magenta came out, towing a grinning Axl. He was sporting a white lab coat that came almost to his knees, legs suspiciously bare save for socks held up by leg garters. There were several wolf whistles and loud clapping as he took his place to the right side of Frankie, shaking his head and laughing.

Riff started up the traditional wedding processional, and everyone turned to look down the center aisle, where Rosie stood with Tom by her side, a modest bouquet of daisies in hand. She was barefoot, also in a lab coat, though hers was open to show off a silky white camisole and knee length slip underneath.

Slash’s appreciative whistle resonated through the little chapel, and Rosie broke down in giggles, leaning hard on Tom’s arm for support, before calming herself and pinning at Axl with a smile so bright she seemed to glow. Frankie glanced down at the groom, bending to speak close to his ear.

“That little angel there, she loves you with her whole heart. How’d you get so lucky?”

Axl’s smile never dimmed as he replied, his gaze locked on Rosie’s as she approached.

“I have no idea. I just know I’m gonna spend what’s left of my life making sure she knows I love her just as much.”

Frankie patted Axl’s back, standing tall as Tom helped Rosie up the few steps then went to sit down as she turned to face Axl.

Smirking down at the couple, Frankie pinched both their cheeks with a deep, wicked chuckle.

“Ready, kids?”

Axl and Rosie looked at each other, grinning and nodding. The towering officiant placed a hand on each of their shoulders, glancing around with a wide, crimson-lipped smile at the band and crew gathered to watch and celebrate. With a deep, purring drawl, they began.

“Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us togethew today…”

……………………………………..

The long black limo drove past the gate late in the evening, pulling up in front of the white stucco mansion. Rosie stared it through the back passenger window, jumping a little when Axl walked past and opened her door, hand outstretched to help her out.

The driver pulled their bags out of the trunk, and Axl thanked him as they grabbed them and headed for the door. Opening it with a flourish, Axl let Rosie enter first.

She stopped just a few steps in, head turning this way and that to take in everything in the entryway. With a soft smile, Axl stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle and resting his head on her shoulder.

“Welcome home, missus Rose.” They both laughed, and he kissed her cheek as she put her hands over his. “Rosie Rose…you sure you wanted to change your name? Not many folks around here do.”

She turned in his arms to slide hers around his neck and pull him close, nestle against his broad chest.

“Just feels right, you know? New life, new name, let go of the past and all that. And I finally have a last name people can spell right on the first try.”

He gave an amused snort, kissing her forehead. “Glad I can make your life easier. You ready for the nickel tour?”

Now it was her turn to snort. “You’ve got to be kidding, more like the Benjamin tour. This isn’t a ‘house’, it’s a compound!”

“Eh, well…you may have a point. But this is the house. The rest is the studio, the pool, a small guesthouse…”

“Like I said, compound. Sheesh. You got maps? Imma get lost, I just know it.”

“Well then, how ‘bout I just show you around here, and we’ll get to the rest of the place tomorrow?”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

Leaving the bags at the door, they wandered around the first floor, Axl showing off the large open kitchen and living area and one of his pianos. Coming back to the foyer, he wrapped an arm around Rosie’s waist, giving her squeeze.

“You’ve been pretty quiet, what do you think so far?”

She looked up at him, tilting her head. “I’m trying to understand. Everything’s all white, the only color comes from the art. Is it easier, more soothing for you, the sterility of it? Less distraction when you’re composing?”

His forehead furrowed a bit. “You know, I never really thought about that. It was white when I bought it, and the decorators never suggested anything different.” He shrugged. “Wasn’t something I really noticed, I guess.” He gave her a sly glance. “Why, you already thinking of making changes?”

Rosie smiled and patted his chest. “Maybe eventually, if you’ll let me? Nothing too drastic. But a few accent colors here and there could make your art stand out. I’ve seen it at some of the art museums, it really works. And it might warm the place up a little.”

Axl turned to face his new bride. “Rosie, this isn’t just my place anymore, it’s ours. I mean, I’d like to know if you want to change something, not just come home and find the whole place turned …I dunno, pepto-pink or some shit. But I want you to feel like you belong here too. So, whatever that means to you, we can work it out.”

Rosie looked up at Axl, her nose scrunching. “Thank you. There’s plenty of time though, I want to get used to this first. Understand better how the flow works for you. Maybe in a few months we can try out some of those decorating apps, get a feel for what a change might look like before we commit to anything.” She chuckled and kissed his cheek. “But you don’t have to worry about anything getting painted ‘pepto-pink’. That’s definitely not gonna happen. Ever. “

He held her close again, pulling her into a long, gentle kiss. “You really are a treasure, Missus Rose.”

With a grimace, she pushed him back. “Oh, ok. That is quite enough of that. We will not be using titles, or last names, for each other. That is a hard stop.”

Axl laughed out loud. “How you gonna know which name I’m calling you by?”

Rosie glared at him with narrowed eyes, though she was smiling. “Oh…I’ll know. And I bet there’s more than one bedroom in this palace.”

“Speaking of which…” he opened his arms, nuzzling her neck when she sank into his hug. “…let’s keep going. I haven’t shown you the best room yet…”

“Holding out on me, hmm? Wicked little brat.”

He kissed under her chin and along her jawline. “Mercy…what…can…I…do to…make it…up to you?”

Rosie hummed, curling her fingers in short, auburn locks. “Let’s go upstairs and figure that out.”

“Lusty wench! I’m an old man. You’ll wear me away to nothing!”

Rosie chuckled, hand snaking down to caress the firm bulge tenting Axl’s jeans, making him suck in a groan.

“Oh, I dunno. Still seems to be quite a lot there…”

Axl’s tongue licked out to tickle Rosie’s ear, and she twitched and squeaked.

A deep chuckle rumbling in his chest, he whispered softly. “As you wish…”

……………………………………….

About a week later, Axl woke late in the night to the sound of the security system beeping. Turning to Rosie, he found the bed empty.

Frowning, he got up, checking on the monitor for the spots the motion detectors went off, seeing the patio door and path to the pool blinking. He shook his head as he typed in the all-clear, turned the system to standby, and threw on a robe, pausing to pick up another as he left the bedroom.

The full moon shone bright enough that he didn’t bother with the outdoor lights, slippered feet following the concrete walkway down to the pool from memory, though the path was easy enough to see. As expected, a lone form sat curled up on one of the chaise loungers.

The moonlight silvered her hair and skin as she sat with her head resting on her knees, and Axl paused in appreciation. Approaching quietly, he lay the robe across her bare shoulders, smiling as she turned and blinked owlishly.

He kissed her temple as he sat down behind her on the chair. “You alright there, little Eeyore?”

Rosie gave a pale smile and a shrug. “Mostly, I guess.” She leaned back against his warmth, and he wrapped his arms around her. “Still feels more like a big hotel than a home though.”

“I’m not surprised. Might be why the walls are still white – it took me years to feel like the space was mine, not just a temporary stop on my way to somewhere else. Wouldn’t really be a surprise for it to take you a while, too.” He gave her a gentle squeeze. “At least I’m here with you, right?”

She tilted her head back to kiss his cheek. “Yeah. Strange as this all is, seeing you navigate it all so comfortably, it kinda helps. I don’t feel so adrift when you’re near. It may not be my normal yet, but it is for you, and there’s a rhythm to it. I’ll get it eventually.”

Resting his temple against hers, he gave a quiet sigh. “Lovely lady, you take all the time you need. Just let me know if you’re getting overwhelmed, or lost. And… maybe learn to turn the security system off before you go walkabout.” 

Rosie groaned, head dropping. “One more thing I’m trying to get used to.”

Axl laughed and pulled her close again. “No worries, I got to it before it went nuclear. Now, how about we go make some tea, maybe light the fireplace?”

“That your subtle way of telling me I’m an idiot for sitting out here in the cold night air?”

He snorted, giving her another squeeze. “Not the word I’d use. As I’d rather not have to sleep in one of the spare bedrooms.”

He helped her up, and she grabbed his waist as they walked back to the house.

“Such a brilliant man I married.” She patted his tummy, laughing. “But tea and a fire do sound good. Maybe move some of those big pillows to the floor? Or…maybe…all of them?”

Settling down in front of the cheerfully flickering fireplace, Rosie tucked up against Axl’s side. With a happy sigh, she started tracing along his chest with light fingers, tickling his belly till it shook with his laughter.

Grabbing her hand, he kissed her palm then blew a raspberry, holding firm when she yipped and tried to pull back. With a grin, Rosie leaned up, nuzzling into his neck to suck gently at the tender skin below his ear, earning a twitch and shudder from the redhead.

Not to be outdone, he nibbled slowly up her arm, laving the crook of her elbow until she whined and squirmed out of his loose grip. They shared a sly glance, drawing closer till lips met, Axl’s arms snaking around Rosie’s waist as she moved to straddle his lap.

They both groaned as friction and heat built up, Axl’s hands roaming freely up and down her back. He smirked into their kiss as his fingers found bare flesh, squeezing the globes of her ass gently.

“Wild wench, practically bare roaming the grounds. What if someone wicked found you?”

Her teeth grazed under his chin, nipping along his jaw to latch on to an ear for a moment, making him growl.

“Pretty sure…someone…terribly wicked…did.”

Pulling one strap of her nightie down, he freed a breast, rolling his palm lightly against the nipple as it firmed under his touch.

“Weren’t you afraid he might ravish you mercilessly?”

She chuckled low against his skin, biting firmly at the crook of his neck, soothing the mark with her tongue.

“Kind of hoping, actually…”

He growled again, hand slipping between them, thumb rubbing feather light against her clit. With a gasp, she ground against him, her dampness seeping into his thin boxers.

Feeling her thighs quiver around his, he grazed her neck with his lips, teeth scraping feather light over delicate skin. Her arms locked around his neck, whole body shuddering as a sudden gush of slick soaked his shorts.

Bracing an arm around her back, Axl leaned forward, carrying them both down. Rosie sprawled back, hair fanning out in a soft cloud on their makeshift nest of pillows, unfurling like a flower to the sun and reaching for him as he ditched his sodden clothes.

He sank down, sank in, and she enveloped him, drawing him close with plush limbs, drowning him in hungry, velvet heat. Sharing breath, they paused, savoring each other’s warmth, the full-length press of skin on skin, lips meeting again and again in tender urgency.

Need and sensation overwhelmed, and he started moving; a long, slow rolling rhythm that had them both panting, bodies glistening in the flickering light of the fire. Dipping his head to swipe gently at a pebbled nipple, he was rewarded with a sudden buck of Rosie’s hips, her low whine accompanied by the pinch of sharp nails scraping at his back.

He gasped, plunging deep, her legs tightening around his waist, heels pressed hard against his ass. With impish delight, he laved her breasts, sucking and nipping till the tips were stiff peaks and she was keening wildly, grinding her hips against his in wanton need.

The next hard thrust had them both gasping, and he sped up, the snap of skin against skin nearly drowned out by the squelch of their joining. Feeling her start to clench up around him, Axl leaned up, calling his love’s name till she opened her eyes, locking on to his gaze as they both fell over the edge, minds and bodies awash in shared bliss.

With gentle fingers, Rosie combed through russet hair turned curly with sweat, humming quietly as they both came back to themselves, still basking in the dregs of euphoria. Still half-dazed, Axl kissed his way up her throat, meeting her lips with soft joy.

“Lovely lady. I think you’ve drained half my brain along with my balls. A few more nights like this and I’ll be nothing but an empty shell!”

She chuckled warmly, kissing his forehead. “Complaint or observation?”

“Heh, a well-deserved compliment. Looking forward to dying happy in your…arms.”

“Arms? Really? That your final answer?”

He favored her with a side-eye and a smirk. “Yep. But we could keep exploring other options… if you want.”

Rosie slid a hand down to cup a firm ass, squeezing appreciatively. “Mmm…I most certainly do.”


End file.
